The Alabaster Ecomuseum is an environmental museum that tells the story of an ancient craft specific to Volterra from the excavation of the stone to its production and commercialisation. The “museum of commercial archaeology”, housed in the Minucci medieval house-tower documents the alabaster craft from the Etruscan era to the present day.
The exhibit illustrates the excavation of the stone, its qualities, the styles and models used by the sculptors, the trading of the artefacts and the story of the
travelling artisans who disseminated the alabaster craft throughout the world and brought economic wealth to Volterra and the surrounding area.
Volterra treasures an inestimable collection of alabaster sculptures and the display in the Ecomuseum is only a small part of this heritage. The visit to the Ecomuseum should, therefore, be joined by a visit to collections such as those of the Guarnacci museum which houses a rich display of the art of alabaster carving during the Etruscan era, and Palazzo Viti, an historical home which offers a splendid array of antique alabaster artefacts.
The museum in the Minucci house-tower offers a chronological view of the alabaster craft from the Etruscan era to the present day and is enriched by the visit to an old workshop which the Town of Volterra has recently acquired from the Pagni family that bears testimony to the cultural and social traditions of Volterra.
Opening Hours: Mar 16 - Nov 1: open all days 11am-5pm
Nov 2 - Mar 15: open Sat. and Sun. 9 am-1.30pm
For further information: Ph.: +39 0588 87 580
