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"Luigi Rossi Danielli" Civic Museum in Viterbo: Etruscan sarcophagi and famous forgeries of Tuscia
The "Luigi Rossi Danielli" Civic Museum in Viterbo is housed in a former 12th-century convent, next to the church of Santa Maria della Verità (St Mary of Truth). Opened in 1912 and dedicated to Viterbo-born archaeologist Luigi Rossi Danielli, it displays Etruscan artefacts, historical memorabilia of the city, and medieval and modern works — three floors spanning from the Etruscan era to the 19th century.
From church to convent, from convent to museum
The collections were originally kept in the church, but in 1955 the building was restored to a place of worship, and everything was moved to the adjoining convent. The visit begins in the Gothic cloister, which houses a collection of Etruscan sarcophagi. From there the museum is arranged over three levels: the Ancient Age on the ground floor, the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period on the upper floors.
Three floors, 2,000 years of history
The most intriguing piece is on the ground floor: fake relics crafted by Friar Annio da Viterbo, a controversial 15th-century historian and antiquarian known for his forgeries. Here there is also the sarcophagus of Galiana and the collection of artefacts assembled by Rossi Danielli himself. The first floor features paintings and sculptures from the medieval period to the Early Modern Age. The second floor holds a gallery of 18th-century portraits, 19th-century designs for the Macchina di Santa Rosa (St Rose Machine), and photo-engraving plates of the city — a visual archive documenting how Viterbo has changed over time.
