Archaeological Museum of Casentino "Piero Albertoni"

The Archaeological Museum of Casentino "Piero Albertoni" is an archaeological museum located in Bibbiena, in the Province of Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. Housed within the historic Palazzo Niccolini, which also serves as the town hall, the museum was officially established in 2013. It holds particular significance as the official information center for the Via Romea Germanica, a medieval pilgrimage route, and as the primary repository for archaeological finds from nearly fifty years of excavations in the Casentino region conducted by the Gruppo Archeologico Casentinese.

The museum's origins trace back to a permanent exhibition of archaeological finds from excavations in the Casentino region that began in 1975. These materials were first displayed in Partina starting in 1996. The museum moved to its current location in Palazzo Niccolini in 2010, and the official reopening at this site took place on 20 July 2013. The museum takes its name from Piero Albertoni, one of the founding members of the Gruppo Archeologico Casentinese, the organization responsible for archaeological research in the region. The group conducted almost five decades of excavations and research in the Casentino area, the results of which form the core of the museum's collections.

The museum's collections span from Prehistory through the early Middle Ages, encompassing materials recovered across the Casentino region over many decades of systematic archaeological work. The exhibition is organized chronologically across six rooms, with a thematic approach that groups objects by period and cultural context. The holdings include paleontological remains, prehistoric lithic artifacts, Etruscan settlement and religious materials, and Roman-era objects including evidence of food production, domestic architecture, and funerary practices. The collection also includes materials attesting to the late Roman period and the arrival of barbarian populations.

Room 1 contains fossil remains of Villafranchian fauna dating to approximately 700,000 years ago, including skeletal portions of Elephas meridionalis and Hippopotamus antiquus, along with casts of human skulls at various stages of physical evolution found in the area. Stone objects range from the Lower Paleolithic through the Middle Paleolithic, and from the Upper Paleolithic to the Bronze Age. Room 2 presents materials from the first Etruscan presence in Casentino, from the settlements of Pratello, Serelli, and Masseto. Room 3 focuses on Etruscan religiosity, particularly the sanctuary of Socana, featuring a reconstruction of the elevation and coroplastic decorations. Room 4 displays finds from the major Etruscan votive site of Lago degli Idoli on Monte Falterona, recovered between 1972 and 2003-2007, including hundreds of bronze statuettes. Room 5 contains Roman-era materials, including finds related to food production and consumption, a partial reconstruction of the thermal installation at Domo and a Roman farm with its associated services, and late Roman evidence of barbarian invasions. This room also presents various burial types found in Casentino, including cappuccina, inhumation, cassone, and cremation burials. Room 6 is reserved for temporary exhibitions.

Palazzo Niccolini, the museum's home, was constructed in the Baroque style during the first half of the 17th century, probably in 1645, just outside the medieval walls of Bibbiena. Impressive remains of these medieval fortifications are still visible along Via Berni. The building also houses the municipal government of Bibbiena. The museum occupies the rear portion of the palace, accessible via a gallery that traverses the building. The museum includes the local tourist office and an information point for the Via Romea Germanica. The facility is fully accessible, with visitor routes designed to enable independent visits by blind and visually impaired persons. The museum is also connected to large underground parking areas by a series of escalators.

The Archaeological Museum of Casentino "Piero Albertoni" is located in Bibbiena, in the Province of Arezzo, Italy. It is situated in the historic center of the town within Palazzo Niccolini. The museum is owned and operated as a public institution, functioning as both a cultural venue and an official information center for the Via Romea Germanica pilgrimage route. Visitors can access the museum through the palace gallery, and the facility is fully wheelchair accessible with specialized paths for visually impaired visitors. The museum maintains an official website at arcamuseocasentino.it.