MUCIV in Rome: EUR’s cultural revival through accessibility

MUCIV and the cultural renewal of EUR

The MUCIV (Museum of Civilizations) is emerging as a central actor in EUR’s cultural revival: a museum that brings together ethnographic, archaeological and anthropological collections from multiple institutions with the aim of creating an open and contemporary museum experience.

Exhibition choices and programming focus on improving accessibility and engagement, testing approaches that break down traditional barriers between visitors and collections.

What is changing at MUCIV

• Scientific revision and decolonization: reassessing catalogues and narratives to achieve more informed and plural representations of the holdings;
• Renovation works: building interventions underway, with initial areas due for completion within the year;
• Accessibility and participation: display design aimed at empathy, sensory engagement and inclusive solutions for diverse audiences;
• Interdisciplinary dialogue: exhibitions and partnerships that combine archaeology, anthropology and contemporary art to tell the story of the collections in a cross-disciplinary way.

Exhibitions and key events

One recent initiative is the exhibition "Le fiabe sono vere", conceived as an accessibility experiment and as a flagship project for the General Directorate of Museums. The layout draws on Italian ethnographic traditions to foster visitor engagement and foreground everyday life as an interpretative key.

Other EUR venues (from the Colosseo Quadrato to the Palace of Sciences) are working together to promote the district as a new cultural hub, hosting exhibitions and institutional collaborations.

Why visit MUCIV now

• To see a museum experimenting with new models of access and inclusion;
• To understand the role of ethnographic collections in narrating Italian memory;
• To follow the renovation projects that will reshape EUR’s exhibition spaces.

Note on dates: the exhibition "Le fiabe sono vere" is reported as ongoing with an end date on 24 May 2026.