Porto Venere, opens new museum at Varignano Roman villa

On Saturday, March 15, 2025, the Regional Directorate National Museums of Liguria opens the doors of the new museum at the Roman Villa of Varignano, in the Le Grazie locality of Porto Venere. The new museum venue is located within thearchaeological area, in one of the rural farmhouses built in the 18th century on the remains of ancient Roman walls. The Casale Liverani, named after its last owner, was chosen as the exhibition venue, having already undergone restoration and archaeological investigations in 1994. Today, the building has been structurally adapted to accommodate the new exhibit.

The exhibition route

The museum is on two levels, offering a thematic narrative that guides visitors to discover the dual identity of the Villa: the residential and the productive. The Roman Villa of Varignano, built in the first century B.C., in fact included a residence overlooking the Gulf of La Spezia and a production area dedicated mainly to oil production. The remains of the oldest oil mill in Liguria are still visible at the site.

On the ground floor, the exhibition tour focuses on the evidence related to the Villa’s production activity. The ancient Roman walls have been left exposed, enhancing the spaces where oil was once stored in large underground jars, separated by the large courtyard, a green space surrounded by a portico. The olive green color dominates this section, recalling the Villa’s oil theme. Among the exhibits are everyday tools related to agricultural production and trade, such as weights for scales, millstones, jars, and a wide variety of amphorae, useful for understanding trade routes and the origin of the goods transported (oil, wine, fish sauce). A valuable collection of coins testifies to the Villa’s trading activities, which continued at least until the 7th century AD.

The upper floor is dedicated to the residential part of the Villa, once enhanced by the view of the sea. To restore this suggestion, a faithful reconstruction of the original view has been created by architect Silvia Landi, who also authored the watercolors that enrich the exhibition panels. Blue characterizes this level, evoking the connection with the sea. On display are architectural elements such as limestone and marble column bases, fragments of cocciopesto and mosaic floors, with the layers of preparation. And then fine ornaments: a statue made of Luna marble, a lion’s head-shaped fountain mask made of bardiglio marble probably from the Apuan quarries, and fragments of exotic marbles imported from Africa. Objects from daily life, including loom weights and spindle whorls used for weaving and spinning, and pottery that tells the long history of the site complete the display. In particular, luxury ceramics from Latium, Campania, central Italy, southern Gaul, and Africa stand out. There is also curiosity about everyday vessels, such as pots anciently restored with lead grapples, evidence of the culture of reuse.

The tour concludes with artifacts that tell the more recent history of the Villa, from the time when, in the 11th century, the site became part of the possessions of the Benedictine monastery on the island of Tino.
The intervention was made possible thanks to an extraordinary grant of 350,000 euros from the Ministry of Culture; the director of the Villa, Marcella Mancusi, carried out the scientific project while the design of the works was entrusted to architect Dario Menichetti (Studio Arc, Livorno) and the museum layout to architect Elena Brunello.

The accessibility project

Thanks to a PNRR grant of 95,000 euros (Measure 1 - Investment 1.2 - Intervention Museums Unveiled), the visitor route was made more inclusive and accessible through a dedicated website(villaromanavarignano.cultura.gov.it); audioguides in Italian and English, with videos in sign language; renewed educational and orientation panels, coordinated with the museum and equipped with solar panel lighting; a multimedia information space near the ticket office, with monitors and touch screens, to facilitate visits for those with motor difficulties; and 3D reconstructions, accessible both online and through the audioguides. These interventions, designed and implemented by Noise, aim to make the museum more inclusive and accessible for a diverse audience.

Upcoming projects include the publication of a popular guide and a scholarly catalog dedicated to the Roman Villa of Varignano.

We thank the Municipality of Porto Venere at the base of COMSUBIN, the Sa Bastia association at the Pro Loco delle Grazie, and the scholars and staff of DRMN Liguria.

Porto Venere, opens new museum at Varignano Roman villa

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.