City Museum, Rimini

The Rimini City Museum (Museo della Città) brought together the centuries-old history of Rimini. It offers a vast collection of medieval artifacts and Renaissance paintings. This is not an ordinary museum – it has an archaeological section which boasts pieces found in a quite interesting landmark called the House of the Surgeon that dates back to ancient Rome and where a prominent medic used to work.

History of the Rimini City Museum

The building where the museum is currently housed is adjacent to the 18th-century church and was built in 1755 by the design developed by Alfonso Torregiani. Since the church was Jesuit, the new construction became the college for this order. In 1773 the Episcopal seminary was established inside it, then in 1797 a military hospital and public one after were set there as well. During the World War II, the palace was damaged. In 1986 it was decided to create a municipal museum. Local authorities bought the former hospital in 1979 for exhibitions and that’s when major restoration works started.

In 1981 a the first section with the lapidary collection was opened to the public. The museum itself, however, was opened on July 12, 1990, when the restoration was completed. It was expended in 1994, in 2007 the House of the Surgeon discovered nearby back in 1989 became available for visits. The museum was named after Luigi Tonini, its founder, on the anniversary in 2015.

Museum’s collections

The museum possesses around 800 exhibits which are displayed in 36 halls. They are pretty varied but all of them are somehow related to Rimini. Some of the rooms serve as space for temporary exhibitions and cultural events. Every object is a result of hard work which includes randomly and purposefully organized archaeological excavations, donations, and purchases. The collection is divided chronologically and according to the theme:

• Art collection. Beautiful old stairs lead to the first floor where this collection is located. Various artworks of artists from different epochs between the 11th century and the modernity can be found here. There are canvases made by Guido Cagnacci and Guercino as well as painters of the Rimini school. The ground floor has a separate hall dedicated to the local artist Rene Gruau. The museum also offers “The Book of Dreams” by the filmmaker from Rimini named Federico Fellini that consists of two albums with sketches later transformed into movies.
• Archaeological collection. It is located on the underground levels and explains the entire city history from the ancient times and till the Middle Ages. Lapidary part of this collection can be found in the courtyard. It presents 100 exhibits of the 1st–4th century that show how people used to live back then.
• The House of the Surgeon. This unique archaeological place was discovered during the reconstruction of the square nearby. This ancient Roman house boasts valuable mosaics and frescos that were presented to the public in 2007. However, the real highlight is considered to be the surgical kit of the 2nd century with 150 tools in it. This discovery came to be a priceless proof of the development of the medical field in the Roman Empire.

How to get

The museum is located in the historical center of Rimini, on Via Luigi Tonini, 1. You can also find one of the city symbols not far from the venue – the Bridge of Tiberius, as well as the statues of Paul V and Julius Caesar, installed on the historical squares. The closest bus stop is called Piazza Ferrari, you can catch the bus №1.

Opening hours: the museum’s schedule depends on the season.

• Wintertime: from 10:00 till 13:00 and from 16:30 till 19:30 on Tuesday and Wednesday. From Thursday to Sunday from 10:00 till 19:30.
• Summertime: from Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30 till 13:00 and from 16:00 till 19:00.

The museum is closed on Mondays. Contact number: (+39) 0541 793851.

Admission: a full ticket will cost 7 euros, a reduced one – 5 euros (available for students between the ages of 18 and 25, senior citizens over 65 and group that include over 12 people.) Persons under 18 are free of charge.