Via G. Negri 9/c - 35042 Este (PD)
Tel. 0429 2085 - Fax 0429 603996
Web site http://www.atestino.beniculturali.it/index.php?it/2/il-museo
Summary
Since 1902 the National Atestino Museum is based in Palazzo Mocenigo erected at the end of 16th century. The façade encompasses a section of walls that used to surround the 13th century Carraresi castle. The rooms, numbered from I-XI (Roman numbering) and organised chronologically, lead us through various civilisations that occupied the centre of Este and the surrounding territories from most ancient times, through Roman Age, all the way to Medieval Age and Renaissance. The tour begins in room I located at the main floor of the palace. This room is dedicated to prehistoric collection, from Palaeolithic at the end of Bronze Age, rooms II-V are dedicated to Veneto centre of Este (10th-3rd century A.D.) with its living areas, necropolises and sanctuaries. Rooms VI-X located on the ground floor hold the exhibits from the Roman centre of Ateste documenting public and private life, cults and funeral rituals. In the last room there are some Medieval and Renaissance monuments, there is also a rich collection of ceramics, mainly from Atesta, from Medieval Age through to the beginning of the 20th century.
Collection history
The Museum was established in 1834 as Civil Lapidar Museum thanks to the initiative of Vincenzo Francanzani, then podestà. The first collection was created with the exhibits of Alessi and Contarini (mainly Roman inscriptions in stone and marble), held in the oratory of Santa Maria of Confraternita of Battuti inside the convent of San Francesco. As a result of some extraordinary findings in the pre-Roman necropolis in 1876 the museum changed its name to Euganeo-Roman Museum. Subsequently, on the Municipality of Este request, the museum became state property and changed its name to National Atestino Museum. It opened to public on the 6th of July 1902 in its current location of Mocenigo palace. Worth noticing are some original elements of the castle such as volte affrescate by Giulio Carpioni in the 17th century. Closed in 1979 because of construction stability problems, the Museum was re-opened to public in 1984 with a new exhibition which covers the period from Palaeolithic to the Medieval-Renaissance Era and further into the 19th and 20th century. The exhibits come from pre-Roman and Roman centre of Este and the surrounding territory. Most of them were found during the excavation works carried out almost continuously from the last decades of the 19th century till today.
Visiting
Admission: Negli orari di apertura; Ticket: Si; Price: Full price € 4; reduced price € 2 (EU citizens aged between 18-25); free entrance (EU citizens under 18 and over 65, schools);
School access
Disabled access
Opening Times
TipologyWhenSpecs
Summer/WinterMonday8.30 – 19.30
Summer/WinterTuesday8.30 – 19.30
Summer/WinterWednesday8.30 – 19.30
Summer/WinterThursday8.30 – 19.30
Summer/WinterFriday8.30 – 19.30
Summer/WinterSaturday8.30 – 19.30
Summer/WinterSunday8.30 – 19.30
Closed on New Year’s Day, 1st May and Christmas Day. The ticket office closes at 7pm.

Recommended tour time (minutes): 120
Services for visitors
Toilet
Bookshop
Rest points
in each room there is at least 1 chair
Educational Services
Guide a stampa Brochure
Brochure anche in inglese e tedesco
Information boards
Italiano
Mobile cards
French, German, English
Captions under exhibits
Italiano
PC learning points
At the entrance you can find a PC for a virtual tour of the museum
Multilingual ads: Francese Tedesco Inglese
Guided Tours
Booking required, organised by Studio D: tel. 049 8360553, 348 2858309; e-mail: info@studiodarcheologia.it
Educational activities
Booking required, organised by Studio D: tel. 049 8360553, 348 2858309; e-mail: info@studiodarcheologia.it
Educational workshops
Booking required, organised by Studio D: tel. 049 8360553, 348 2858309; e-mail: info@studiodarcheologia.it
Library and documentation centre
Admission upon request
Other activities
all-purpose room