The frescoes of François Tomb has been open to the public since July 1.
Discovered on May 1, 1857, by archaeologist Alessandro François on the estate of Prince Alessandro Torlonia, in the Ponte Rotto necropolis at Vulci, the tomb is carved into tuff and decorated by thirty-seven painted panels and two stone stelae found in the entrance corridor. Dated to between 340 and 320 B.C., it represents one of the finest examples of Etruscan painting and, more broadly, of ancient painting that has survived to the present day.
The exhibition is accompanied by “The Return of the Heroes,” which, through December 31, 2026, engages with the pictorial cycle through unique objects and documents—part of the burial goods—on loan from the Musée du Louvre, the British Museum, the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, and the Musée cantonal d’archéologie et d’histoire in Lausanne.
The exhibition itinerary is thus enriched by the presence of archaeological finds discovered in the tomb. Among the objects on loan from the Musée du Louvre are earrings that belonged to the women of the Saties family, elaborate gold-leaf necklaces, a gold ring depicting Cassandra, and two scarabs. A collection of precious earrings set with garnets and glass paste animals, vases—including a lion-shaped askos—and a beautiful necklace with butterfly pendants from the François Tomb come from the British Museum in London.
The exhibition thus offers the public a cohesive journey dedicated to one of the major figurative complexes of ancient Etruria, creating a dialogue between paintings, archaeological finds, and material artifacts from the Saties family. Through this new presentation of the frescoes and associated artifacts, the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia highlights a heritage that recounts the relationship between myth and memory in the Etruscan world and definitively entrusts it to the community.
Visits to the François Tomb and the exhibition are included in the museum admission ticket.
Admission is limited, and reservations are required.
Tickets are available on the Museitaliani app and on the Coopculture website.
To reserve admission for groups and schools, contact the Coopculture call center at 0639967373 (Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.)
The tomb and the exhibition are not open to the public on days with free admission (the first Sunday of the month, April 25, June 2, and November 4).