ITR25 DEM CAE Visit National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

This activity allows students to discover the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, a key place to understand the ancient Etruscan civilization that existed in Italy before the rise of Rome. The sympathic Italian guide acts, presenting the museum and its masterpieces in English to the international group. The visit gives participants the chance to explore how the Etruscans lived, believed, and organised their society, and to connect this heritage with questions of identity, culture, and the roots of Europe.

They visit the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, located in a Renaissance villa built for Pope Julius III and now dedicated to Etruscan and Faliscan civilizations. During the visit, students discover:

Major masterpieces such as the Sarcophagus of the Spouses, a terracotta funerary monument showing a couple reclining together, and the famous Apollo of Veii, a life-size terracotta statue, both emblematic of Etruscan art and beliefs about life, death, and the afterlife. 

Objects of daily life and religion (jewellery, vases, inscriptions, religious objects) that show how Etruscan society was organised, the role of women, and the importance of ritual and community. 

The villa and its setting, which allow students to appreciate the dialogue between Renaissance architecture and ancient collections, and to reflect on how museums preserve, interpret, and present the past today. It was explained in English key artefacts, told stories about Etruscan life (family, religion, art, trade), and helping with vocabulary. Small mixed groups may receive simple tasks (identify an object linked to daily life / religion / power, choose one piece that “speaks” to you, etc.) and prepare very short oral feedback at the end of the visit.

Students gain a clearer picture of who the Etruscans were and how their art and objects help us understand past societies and values. They improve their English fluency and confidence in a real museum context, using language to describe, question, and interpret cultural heritage.

The activity strengthens their curiosity, critical thinking, and sense of belonging to a long and diverse European history