Best Museums in Sardinia, Italy

Archaeology in Cagliari, Mining in Iglesias, Traditions in Nuoro

May 21, 2007

From bronze figurines, traditional costumes and musical instruments to a former mining school, Sardinia's museums cover a range of interesting topics.

The Italian island of Sardinia is an increasingly popular tourist destination, with visitors from around Europe and the world coming for its countryside, beaches and historic towns and cities. There are plenty of good museums on the island too, devoted to topics such as archaeology in Cagliari, mining in Iglesias and Sardinian life and traditions in Nuoro.

Best Museums in Sardinia, Italy - Museo Archeologico (Archaeological Museum), Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

The Sardinian capital, Cagliari, is drenched in history, and much of it is covered by the superb Museo Archeologico (Archaeological) in the Regio Arsenale. Material that has been unearthed and displayed in this museum dates back to even pre-nuraghic times, but it spans the centuries until the late Roman era. There are some mighty impressive bronze figurines amongst the collection.

Other highlights of a trip to Cagliari include the Torre di San Pancrazio, the Chiesa di San Michele, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Cattedrale di Santa Maria.

Best Museums in Sardinia, Italy - Museo della Vita e delle Tradizione Sard (Museum of Sardinian Life and Traditions), Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy

It is arguable that no area of Italy has managed to preserve the traditional lifestyle and folkloric pursuits of the local people better than Sardinia. This is what is explored in the wide-ranging Museo della Vita e delle Tradizione Sard (Museum of Sardinian Life and Traditions) in Nuoro. The museum contains plenty of traditional costumes, musical instruments and photographs of how life was lived in the mountainous region around the city.

Other attractions in Nuoro include the Museo Archaelogico Nazionale (National Archaeology Museum) and the Monte Ortobene, the mountain that looks over the city.

Best Museums in Sardinia, Italy - Museo dell’Arte Mineraria (Museum of Mining Art), Iglesias, Sardinia, Italy

The Romans knew Iglesias as Metalla, named for all the valuable metals that were found in the earth there. Indeed, mining in the area goes all the way back to the Carthaginian era, and the Museo deel’Arte Mineraria (Museum of Mining Art) on Via Roma is a former mining school. It is designed in a way that allows visitors to feel what life in the mines was really like, and has plenty of materials and exhibits that were used to train the mine workers of Iglesias.

Other highlights of the town include the ruined Castello Salvaterra and the Romanesque/ Gothic cathedral in Piazza del Municipio.

Best Museums in Sardinia, Italy – Other good museums to visit

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