Criminology Museum, Rome
The Criminology Museum in Rome, better known under the acronym Mu.Cri, is located on the territory of the former prison and was founded in 1930. The collection of museum exhibits is dedicated to the most significant crimes that took place in Rome. Here the material evidence and photographs from the crime scenes are stored.
History of the museum
Originally, the museum was located in the prison building on Via Giulia. In 1975, the museum exhibits were transferred to the Palazzo del Gonfalone prison.
By the end of the 1970s, visitors' interest in the museum was gone and the museum was closed for 15 years. During this time, many reconstructions and reorganizations were carried out. In 1994 a new opening of the museum took place with a rich collection of exhibits, presented in the form of sections and in chronological order.
Exhibits of the museum
In the Criminology Museum Mu.Cri, some of the exhibits date back to the Roman period. In total there are about 30 rooms in the museum, telling about the history of many crimes and types of torture: the guillotine hall, the hall of torture with the help of horses, the crucified hall and others. For example, in the first room there are objects of torture and death: an ax for decapitation, a prickly collar, a spike chair, whips and many others, which can terrify anyone.
The museum's rooms are narrow, but this does not interfere with the observation of the exhibits. The history of criminology is also presented in photos, archive documents.
In the Museum of Criminology there is a collection of the most terrible instruments of torture used in the Middle Ages. For example, the Inquisition in search of witches and heretics. Wheeling, racking, crucifixion, burning, a chair with thorns, a bronze chamber for witches, multi-tailed whips is an incomplete set of tools by the help of which justice was achieved. Here you will see belts of fidelity, guillotines, ceremonial forms of executioners, tunics of comforter.
How to get there
The nearest stop to the Museum of Criminology is called LGT Sangallo/perosi, through which buses run: 40, 46, 62, 64, 98, 115, 870, 881, 916, 916F, N5, N15, N20.
Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 9:00/13:00. Tuesday and Thursday: 14:30/18:30. On Sundays, Mondays and public holidays it is closed.
Cost: ticket – 2 euros. For children under 18 and adults after 65 the admission is free.
