Inspirations. Ancient Greek Art Living in Italy

Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Reggio Calabria · Reggio di Calabria, Costa Viola, Calabria

22 October 2026 – 31 December 2026

From 22 October to 31 December 2026 the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria (MArRC) hosts “Ispirazioni. Vite italiane dell'arte greca” (Inspirations. Ancient Greek Art Living in Italy), the Italian Ministry of Culture's international exhibition that opened earlier this year at the Acropolis Museum in Athens. Seven sections trace the afterlife of Greek art in Italy from the late Iron Age to the 20th century, with works such as the Ludovisi Throne, the Anzio Girl, a female statue from the Acropolis and the bronze heads from the Porticello shipwreck. It is on Level E of the museum in Piazza De Nava, open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm (last entry 7.30pm). The exhibition ticket is free, but it does not cover the permanent collections with the Riace Bronzes.

Dates, venue and organisers

“Inspirations. Ancient Greek Art Living in Italy” (in Italian, “Ispirazioni. Vite italiane dell'arte greca”) runs at the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria from 22 October to 31 December 2026. It occupies Level E, the floor the museum keeps for temporary exhibitions, in the building on Piazza De Nava.

The exhibition is promoted by the Italian Ministry of Culture and was developed by its Department for the Promotion of Cultural Heritage, through the Central Institute for the Economic Development and Promotion of Cultural Heritage, together with the Acropolis Museum in Athens and the Reggio museum. It is curated by Alfonsina Russo, Nikolaos Stampolidis, Roberta Alteri, Alessio De Cristofaro and Fabrizio Sudano, the director of the MArRC. The Reggio leg is part of the ministry's Piano Olivetti for culture and is run with the Italian Archaeological School of Athens.

From Athens to Reggio: the first leg at the Acropolis Museum

The project grew out of cooperation between the Italian and Greek culture ministries, strengthened by Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli's visit to Athens in June 2025. Its first leg was held in summer 2026 at the Acropolis Museum, directed by Nikolaos Stampolidis, with 38 masterpieces in ceramic, bronze and marble from Italy's leading museums.

Four works from the MArRC travelled to Athens: the Head of the Philosopher and the Basel Head from the Porticello shipwreck, the Reggio Kouros and the head of the acrolith of Apollo Alaios. At the opening, Giuli announced the move to Reggio, recalling that the city was one of the first colonies of Magna Graecia; back in June the museum had said that the whole exhibition would come to Reggio.

A route in seven sections

The story follows a chronological thread, from the late Iron Age to the 20th century. It begins with the earliest presence of Greek art on the Italian peninsula, before the Roman conquest, and with Greek objects that circulated as prestige goods and cultural models. Next come the appropriation and removal of works, then their reuse and reinterpretation in Roman, modern and contemporary times, up to the birth of modern collecting and of the study of ancient art.

The common thread is the “biography” of each object: every piece is set back in its context and told through its journeys, changes of ownership and new meanings. The final section looks at how Greek art was received between the 18th and 20th centuries, with a focus on Antonio Canova; in Athens it also covered Canova's response to the Parthenon marbles and the De Chirico brothers.

The works: from the Ludovisi Throne to the Porticello heads

Among the pieces the museum lists for the Reggio leg are the Ludovisi Throne, the marble relief from the Museo Nazionale Romano, and the Anzio Girl (Fanciulla di Anzio), the statue found at Anzio and also held by the Museo Nazionale Romano. There is a female statue on loan from the Acropolis in Athens, which ties the show directly to its place of origin, alongside the bronze heads from the Porticello shipwreck, recovered from the waters of the Strait of Messina and kept at the MArRC.

The route is completed by pieces on collecting and on the modern reception of Greek art. In Athens the selection also included the Cup of Nestor from Ischia and the Euphronios Krater from Cerveteri: the museum's October page does not mention them, so if you are coming specifically for these works, check with the ticket office first.

The MArRC and the Riace Bronzes

Reggio is a meaningful setting: ancient Rhegion was one of the main cities of Magna Graecia, and the MArRC holds finds from the most important Greek colonies in southern Italy. The museum's emblem is the Riace Bronzes, two 5th-century BC warriors almost two metres tall, discovered in August 1972 by Stefano Mariottini, eight metres down off Riace Marina. Restored in Reggio and Florence, they stand in the room they share with the Porticello heads.

Mind the ticket: free entry to the exhibition does not include the permanent collections, so you need a museum ticket to see the Bronzes. Entry to their room is limited for conservation reasons and involves a short stop in a filter room before you go in.

Opening hours, tickets and free days

The exhibition keeps the museum's hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm, with last entry and ticket office closing at 7.30pm; the museum is closed on Mondays. The exhibition ticket is free. For the permanent collections a full ticket costs 10 euros and a reduced ticket for 18-25 year olds 2 euros; under-18s and the categories set by ministry rules get in free. The MArRC Slim ticket, at 5 euros, is valid from 6pm until closing.

On Sunday 1 November 2026 the museum joins the ministry's free-entry day, from 9am to 8pm with no booking, until capacity is reached. Tickets are sold at the museum or online through CoopCulture; groups and school parties must book on +39 06 39967600.

Getting to the Archaeological Museum

The museum is at Piazza De Nava 26 in central Reggio, a short walk from the Lungomare Falcomatà seafront. The nearest station is Reggio Calabria Lido: come out into Piazza Indipendenza, walk up Via Vollaro and the entrance is on the left, about two minutes away. From Reggio Calabria Centrale station you can walk along Via Bixio, Via Pepe and Corso Vittorio Emanuele, or take a city bus. From the airport, city bus lines 27, 28, 113, 115, 118, 119 and 122 stop near the museum, and the hydrofoil terminal is about ten minutes on foot.

By car, leave the A2 motorway at the Porto exit and follow the bypass towards the centre, to Viale Genoese Zerbi and Piazza Indipendenza. The museum points to paid public parking on Viale Genoese Zerbi, along the seafront and in nearby streets. From 28 October to 10 December work is under way on the Via Vollaro façade, without affecting visits.

Public programme, accessibility and visiting tips

The Reggio leg comes with an international conference and a public programme for residents, scholars, schools and visitors, with museum education and inclusion activities: dates and details are posted on the exhibition page. The MArRC has step-free routes, lifts, tactile materials and audio guides for blind and partially sighted visitors, and a free left-luggage service.

Level E also holds the Lapidarium and the remains of the Hellenistic necropolis found in 1932 while the museum was being built. If you want to combine the exhibition with the permanent collections, allow at least another hour and a half, the average visit length given by the museum. For somewhere to stay there are holiday rentals, and for other dates there is the events calendar.

Frequently asked questions

When can I visit the Inspirations exhibition in Reggio Calabria?

From 22 October to 31 December 2026, Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm, with last entry at 7.30pm. The museum is closed on Mondays.

How much is the exhibition ticket?

The exhibition ticket is free. It does not cover the permanent collections, which cost 10 euros (full) or 2 euros (ages 18-25); under-18s go in free.

Does the exhibition ticket include the Riace Bronzes?

No: the Bronzes are part of the permanent collections and need a museum ticket. Entry to their room is limited for conservation reasons.

Which works are on display?

The museum lists the female statue from the Acropolis in Athens, the Ludovisi Throne, the Anzio Girl, the bronze heads from the Porticello shipwreck and works on the modern reception of Greek art, up to Canova and the 20th century.

Where is the exhibition inside the museum?

On Level E, the temporary exhibition floor of the National Archaeological Museum; the visitor entrance is at Piazza De Nava 26.

Who curated the exhibition?

Alfonsina Russo, Nikolaos Stampolidis, Roberta Alteri, Alessio De Cristofaro and Fabrizio Sudano. It is a project of the Italian Ministry of Culture with the Acropolis Museum in Athens and the MArRC.

How do I get to the museum without a car?

Reggio Calabria Lido station is about two minutes on foot, via Piazza Indipendenza and Via Vollaro. From the airport, take city bus 27, 28, 113, 115, 118, 119 or 122.

Are there free entry days at the museum?

Yes: on Sunday 1 November 2026 entry to the museum is free for everyone, from 9am to 8pm with no booking. The exhibition itself is free on every opening day.

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