National Museum of Magna Græcia Museum

The National Museum of Magna Graecia in Reggio Calabria is an archaeological museum dedicated to the ancient Greek presence in southern Italy and one of the region’s main cultural institutions. It is best known for housing the spectacular Riace Bronzes, recovered from the Ionian Sea in 1972.

The museum’s highlights include the pair of full-size bronze warrior statues and extensive collections of Greek pottery, sculpture, and inscriptions from Magna Graecia. Galleries present objects ranging from Archaic to Hellenistic periods and include funerary and domestic material that illustrates Greek colonial life in Calabria.

Collections assembled from regional excavations and finds form the core of the displays; the two bronzes were added to the museum’s holdings after their 1972 discovery. The museum’s exhibits and display approach have been updated periodically to improve conservation and visitor interpretation.

The museum sits in central Reggio Calabria on the strait-facing side of the city, close to the seafront and the urban waterfront promenade. Reggio Calabria is at the toe of Italy, facing the Strait of Messina.

• Riace Bronzes: Two full-size bronze warrior statues from the sea off Riace date to the 5th century BC and are the museum’s signature exhibits.
• Collection care: Climate-controlled display cases protect delicate ceramics and metalwork; photography rules and security vary, so check on-site guidance before visiting.

What to See#

• Riace Bronzes Gallery: Gallery housing the two full-size bronze statues recovered off Riace in 1972, displayed on secure plinths with controlled lighting.
• Magna Graecia Galleries: Permanent archaeological galleries presenting pottery, sculpture and inscriptions from Magna Graecia spanning the Archaic to Hellenistic periods.

Typically accessed from Reggio Calabria or Lamezia Terme by car or regional trains; the museum sits in Reggio Calabria’s civic quarter and is within walking distance of the waterfront.

• Look closely at the Greek and Roman collections for the sculptural traces of Magna Graecia's civic life.
• Audio guides or local guides are useful for understanding the layered chronology of pre-Roman and Roman Calabria.
• Pair the museum with a walk through Reggio Calabria's seafront and archaeological sites nearby.