Luigi Marzoli Arms and Armor Museum

The Arms Museum is located at the top of the Cidneo Hill. The earliest known settlement on this site dates back to between late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. We know of the existence of a Celtic place of worship dedicated to Bergimus and in the Roman age, during the first century CE, a sanctuary of uncertain dedication was erected here, consisting of a complex of two temples whose steps and oil warehouses are still visible today. Cultural continuity is evidenced by a small early Christian martyrium and by the foundation, in the twelfth-century, of the church of Santo Stefano, of which one of the two original bell towers, the Mirabella Tower, can still be admired today. The earliest defensive structure is documented in the Lombard era, in the eighth century, when a church was built inside the complex. During the thirteenth century the castle was modified and improved until Brescia was conquered by Milan. In 1343 Luchino Visconti had the castle rebuilt from scratch and erected the Mastio on the remains of the Roman temple. Frescoes with the coat of arms of Luchino and his brother Giovanni are still visible in the Luigi Marzoli Arms Museum. The function of the Mastio, as it appears today, was not purely military, but served as an administrative centre where the Milanese governor took up residence.
Still in use during the first Venetian rule, as evidenced by some frescoes bearing the date 1442, the Mastio slowly began to lose importance with the planning of modern fortifications. At the end of the nineteenth century it was used as a military prison, as the heavy window grates still testify. After World War II it became a museum.

In 1963 Luigi Marzoli’s arms and armour collection was considered the world’s most significant private collection: not a dynastic property handed down from father to son, but rather a selection created from scratch that did not collect objects solely for their aesthetic value, but that was informed by a clear project: that of documenting the production of arms and armour from Lombardy, especially from Brescia, paired with pieces from other famous arms centres, giving rise to an immediate comparison. The purpose, as Marzoli himself stated in his will, was that these displays were to be “closely admired by workers, craftsmen, artists and especially by young apprentice gunsmiths and mechanics, for them to observe what had been forged by their ancestors, feeling the love for their profession and ambition to improve their position and contribute to the prosperity and greatness of the Nation.” This was one of the first collections in the world, if not the first, to have a precise identity, to be scientifically consistent, philologically studied, and with a social and civic purpose. After Marzoli’s death, two-thirds of the prestigious collection passed to Brescia’s Civic Museums through his will. To this important nucleus, consisting of about 1090 pieces, further 300 already in the Christian Museum collection were added. On 15 October 1988 the Luigi Marzoli Arms Museum was inaugurated in the prestigious Mastio Visconteo inside the Castle of Brescia. The first project for the museum’s layout was entrusted to the architect Carlo Scarpa but was later revised and carried out by Francesco Rovetta and Arrigo Rudi, with the display cases and racks made by Officina Rivadossi. The museum itinerary, reflecting Luigi Marzoli’s idea and will to document the progress and evolution of Brescian arm production, is organised in chronological order through four major themes, illustrating the artisan excellence in metalworking and the creation of innovative mechanical systems.

The ticket allows entry to Luigi Marzoli Arms and Armor Museum and to Museum of the Risorgimento Lioness of Italy

Summer timetable (1 June – 30 September):

• Mondays (non-holidays): Closed
• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m.
• Last admission: 6.15 p.m.

Winter hours (1 October – 31 May):

• Mondays (non-holidays): Closed
• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
• Last admission: 5.15 p.m.

Should purchasing tickets online prove impossible we recommend contacting the CUP – Centro Unico Prenotazioni Booking Centre (Monday – Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Holidays excluded) or checking the website www.bresciamusei.com to see current reservations. 

T. 030 8174200
E. cup@bresciamusei.com

Fabumouse news for all the little Geronimo Stilton fans: the mouse-journalist most loved by children the world over, has arrived in the museums of Brescia for an adventure that will make their whiskers twitch with excitement!

For the first time ever, Geronimo Stilton is the protagonist of a museum app-game dedicated to children aged 6 and over entitled Geronimo Stilton. Brescia Musei Adventures.

All you need is a smartphone or tablet provided by the Fondazione Brescia Musei to take part in “Geronimo Stilton, a day as a knight”:

 at the Luigi Marzoli Arms Museum, where children will travel back in time to the Middle Ages to help Geronimo find all the pieces of the suit of armour he needs to join a ring joust tournament.

Through the halls of the castle’s imposing Mastio Visconteo, children will discover all the parts of a suit of armour, how it was decorated, how knights saw through the small slits in their helmets, what trials a young man had face to become a knight, how his horse was harnessed, and many other fun facts. The tour will end in the parade armour hall, where Geronimo will find a prestigious shield and children will have the chance to virtually decorate one to their liking.

Tablets are available free of charge at the Arms Museum ticket office.

Discover the masterpieces of Luigi Marzoli Arms and Armor Museum with the EasyGuide!
An innovative multimedia guide that is free, simple and usable directly from your smartphone! Access to the contents is immediate and takes place by scanning a QR code.

Discover more!

The Museum of the Luigi Marzoli Arms and Armor Museum Bookshop, located next to the ticket office, offers a wide selection of books dedicated to the museum, as well as a rich selection of merchandise.

Visitors can enjoy refreshments at the Castle’s Infopoint, equipped with a vending machine for hot drinks and snacks plus a comfortable lounge area.

Dogs are not allowed in the Luigi Marzoli Arms and Armor Museum and its outdoor areas, with the exception of guide dogs for people with visual impairment.