Museo Oliveriano, Pesaro

The museum occupies a former aristocratic residence, the Palazzo Almerici. It houses a collection of Greek bronze statuettes, Ancient Roman art and artifacts, including sculpture, ceramics, and numismatic collection. It also has objects excavated for the 7-8 A.C (pre-Roman) burial at the necropolis of Novilara. Among the most intriguing findings from that site are portions of stelae inscribed with North Picene language and one depicting a sea battle with a Liburna. Also present is the bronze “tabula fabrorum”. The museums also have artifacts from the sacred grove of Lucus Pisaurensis and the pre-Roman Votive Stones of Pesaro.

The museum includes many Latin epitaphs. It also has a collection of post-Roman medallions. Adjacent to the museum is the Biblioteca Oliveriana, a library founded in the mid-18th century.

The idea of a public museum for these artifacts arose with the scholar Giovanni Battista Passeri (1694-1780). Included in his collections were the findings of Annibale degli Abati Olivieri (1708-1789) at the Lucus Pisaurensis. In 1756, the Museo Archeologico Oliveriano was begun, but no open to the public until 1793, displayed in the Palazzo Olivieri-Macchirelli. In 1885, the various collections in possession of the city were brought to this site.[1]