In the heart of the plain of Mariana, site of the ancient city founded by Caius Marius, discover the Archaeological Museum of Mariana! We loved thehistorical immersion offered by the rich collection, enhanced bycontemporary architecture. The museum is more than just an exhibition space; it also houses a research laboratory.
In this article, you’ll find our photos and advice on how to make the most of your visit to the Archaeological Museum of Mariana, near Bastia.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit Mariana’s Archaeological Museum?
Is the Mariana Archaeological Museum worth the trip? Our opinion:
Absolutely! This museum is worth a visit for its successful dialogue between the past it exhibits – the archaeological ruins and the medieval cathedral – and the contemporary building that serves as a showcase for the collection of over 10,000 objects. We enjoyed this plunge into almost two millennia of history, from Protohistory to the Middle Ages.
Why is the Mariana Archaeological Museum famous?
The museum owes its renown to its recent opening in 2021 and to its prestigious origins, initiated by Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
It is also famous for its contemporary glass and concrete architecture by Pierre-Louis Faloci, Grand Prix d’architecture in 2018, and its rich collection of crockery, jewelry, mosaics and coins.
The archaeological site is also home to the Canonica Cathedral, a beautiful Romanesque basilica!
Our favorite
We were touched by this marble bas-relief, fractured into three pieces but beautifully reconstructed using drawings from the museum. The coin features Mithra’s taurobolus, the sacrifice of a bull. Dated between the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D., this piece stood on a sanctuary before being destroyed, probably by the site’s first Christians.
History in brief
The Archaeological Museum of Mariana is the fruit of an ambitious project
- 2000: Feasibility study for museum project
- 2009: Foundation stone laid
- 2021: Official opening of the museum to the public
WHERE TO STAY IN Bastia
To enjoy the charm of this colourful, vibrant city, it’s best to spend one or more nights here! Our suggestions:
Option 1: in the lower center
We recommend..:
- Hôtel des Gouverneurs, in the citadel – see prices, photos and availability
- Hotel Monsieur Miot and its beautiful decor – see prices, photos and availability
Option 2: up-center
We recommend..:
- Hotel Le Bastia and its magnificent views of the city and the sea – see prices, photos and availability
Option 3: in the surrounding area
We recommend..:
- Hotel Alivi, north, with beach access – see prices, photos and availability
- Hotel Pineto in the south, along the sandy beach – see prices, photos and availability
See our list of the 10 best hotels in Bastia, with our reviews
Access and map: Musée archéologique de Mariana, Bastia
Where is the Mariana Archaeological Museum?
The museum is located at 10 strada di U Granalese, Lieu-dit Canonica, 20290 Lucciana, just a 3-minute drive from Bastia airport. In fact, you’ll be able to see a few planes fly past from the Museum’s picture windows!
- Driving time from Bastia: 20min
- Driving time from Corte: 45min
How to get there?
Access to the museum is by car only, as no public transport is available.
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Corsica
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Remember to take outcomprehensive insurance (some roads are winding and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Parking
Free parking is available on site, with spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility. This convenience greatly facilitates access to the archaeological site.
Useful tips: duration, schedules, eating…
Best time to visit
We recommend that you plan your visit during the week to enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere. Avoid Wednesdays in particular, a day traditionally devoted to school outings, if you prefer to explore the collections in peace and quiet.
Length of visit and main difficulties
Allow at least 1.5 hours to familiarize yourself with part of the proposed teaching program. The route presents no difficulties and access is guaranteed for people with reduced mobility. Likewise, traffic flows smoothly with strollers.
Advice on how to visit
The tour is free, but we recommend that you start with the collections section before visiting the archaeological site to get a better idea of it.
And don’t forget to visit the Canonica Cathedral.
A former cathedral of the bishopric of Mariana, consecrated in 1119, it was built on the ruins of an early Christian basilica and dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption. This magnificent polychrome cathedral church is a superb example of Romanesque architecture, with its central nave and two aisles, semi-circular apse and gray granite roof. Its facade, adorned with sculptures of griffins and animals, testifies to the importance of this monument in Corsican history.
Visiting with children
The museum offers specially adapted tours and fun workshops for young visitors, with advance booking. Among the activities available, the “Salute!” workshop lets children make an antique clay goblet from an object in the collections. Another workshop invites young and old alike to draw inspiration from the mosaics of the early Christian baptistery to create their own 21st-century version.
Schedules and rates
The site is open daily from 10am to 7pm (except Mondays, which are closed).
The adult price is 7 euros, with a reduced price of 4 euros.
Admission is free for children under 8.
Guided tours
Guided tours are available for the general public, enabling them to explore the collections in greater depth. Find out more here.
Catering
There are no restaurants on site, but you can find our selection of good addresses in Bastia!
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A museum at the heart of Mariana’s ancient remains
The first thing that struck us on arriving at the museum was its openness to the archaeological park. Nestled in the exceptional natural landscape of La Marana, you’ll find the remains of the southern quarter of the ancient town.
Take a look at the porticoed street, the town houses, the stores and the market, and follow in the footsteps of the inhabitants of the colony founded by Caius Marius. These remains lie beneath those of the early Christian episcopal complex, comprising the imposing basilica and baptistery, built at the dawn of the 5th century.
Astonishingly, the archaeological park is dominated by the church of Santa Maria Assunta, known as A Canonica, erected at the dawn of the 12th century by the Pisan authorities!
But back to the architecture! Designed by Pierre-Louis Faloci, winner of the Grand Prix d’architecture in 2018, this building impressed us with its perfect integration into the landscape. A resolutely contemporary concrete and glass building, the perspectives created open up your view of the ancient and medieval site. We particularly appreciated the way in which the architecture manages to give shape to an ancient city spread over some twenty hectares, making comprehensible an archaeological site where ancient, Paleo-Christian and medieval architecture overlap and intertwine. The museographical tour unfolds over two levels and ends on the terrace-belvedere, directly accessible via a small outdoor amphitheatre. From here, you’ll be able to take in the whole of Mariana’s territory, set between sea, pond and mountains.
Rare collections
The first thing to say about this collection is its incredible richness! Excavations since the 1960s have produced a collection of some 10,000 objects, 500 of which are on display in the permanent exhibition. This figure continues to rise year on year, as new discoveries are made, thanks in particular to the development of preventive archaeology.
The collection is presented in a chrono-thematic tour that spans Protohistory, Antiquity, the beginnings of Christianity and the late Middle Ages. Mariana’s integration into exchange networks and into its island and Mediterranean environment is at the heart of the museographic discourse.
Also of note is the quality and diversity of the collection, which includes crockery, glassware, jewelry, carved marble, mosaics, coins and other objects of daily life, some of which are absolutely exceptional, such as this Bronze Age copper ingot. Each showcase features a group of objects that shed light on a particular theme or period, while providing the scientific background needed to understand them. From one object to another, you’ll find different presentation and mediation methods!
An accessible and moving learning path
If the collection is impressive, the scenography and museography are also assets to enhance it! The plan was to place the visit in the context of an archaeological investigation. Each element of the archaeological site is accompanied by an element (graphic diagram, texts, video, animations, models) to open up to broader themes.
Outside the thematic tour, short films complement this approach, giving the floor to archaeologists, historians and landscape architects. You’ll be able to take a closer look at the issues raised by research on this exceptional site, from very specific angles.
Finally, what we like about this museum is that it is not just an exhibition space, but also offers a research laboratory, to help researchers carry out their study programs. The contents of the museum are constantly evolving as a result of field studies. We were impressed by this lively dimension of the site, reinforced by a cultural program that includes temporary exhibitions, tours, workshops and special events.
The museum also offers the possibility of varying the length of your visit. You become a spectator as well as a player in your journey, able to return several times and approach your exploration each time in a different way, especially as the site enriches its archaeological discoveries.
Frequently asked questions
Is the museum accessible to people with reduced mobility?
Yes, the museum is designed to be accessible to people with reduced mobility, with access ramps and dedicated parking spaces.
Can you visit the archaeological site without the museum?
No, a visit to the outdoor archaeological site is part of a guided tour offered by the museum, providing a better understanding of the remains.
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