The Maffeiano Lapidary Museum: A Journey Through Time in Verona

The Maffeiano Lapidary Museum in Verona is one of the oldest and most important epigraphic collections in Europe. Founded in 1738 by Marquis Scipione Maffei, a renowned Veronese scholar and patron of the arts, the museum is a unique institution dedicated to the preservation and study of ancient inscriptions and sculptures.

A treasure of “speaking stones”

The museum is housed in a neoclassical building designed by Alessandro Pompei, facing Piazza Bra, directly opposite the Arena. Its extraordinary collection includes over 600 inscriptions, featuring Greek, Etruscan, Paleo-Venetian, and—above all—Latin texts. Each stone tells a story: funerary steles, dedications to deities, public edicts, and honorary inscriptions offer an incredibly detailed glimpse into daily life and the culture of ancient civilizations.

The exhibition unfolds through the portico and the inner courtyard, where marble slabs are arranged in a way that evokes a solemn and evocative atmosphere—almost like a monumental cemetery of antiquity.

Scipione Maffei’s vision

Maffei’s idea was to create a “public museum”, open to the community and accessible to scholars—an extraordinarily modern concept for the 18th century. The museum was conceived not merely as a repository of artifacts but as an instrument of knowledge, allowing visitors to “read” history through the words carved in stone.

The collection includes pieces of remarkable historical and artistic value, such as:

• Inscriptions documenting Verona’s Roman history.
• Funerary steles with Greek inscriptions, attesting to the presence of Greek communities in the city.
• Fragments of sculptures and architectural decorations, offering insight into ancient craftsmanship.

The Maffeiano Lapidary Museum is a must-see destination for enthusiasts of history, archaeology, and classical philology, providing a tangible link to Verona’s ancient roots.

Visitor Information

• Address: Via del Museo, 1, 37121 Verona (VR)
• Opening Hours: Generally open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (last admission at 5:30 p.m.). Closed on Mondays. It is recommended to check the official website of Verona’s Civic Museums for updated hours.
• Tickets:
  • Full: €4.50
  • Reduced: €3.00 (students, seniors 60+, groups, and other eligible visitors)
  • Often included in the combined ticket for Verona’s Civic Museums.
• Official Website: museicivici.comune.verona.it

The Maffeiano Lapidary Museum is a hidden gem in the heart of Verona—a place of serene and powerful beauty that invites visitors to reflect on the enduring connection between history and time.

Cover photo credits: Didier Descouens, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0