Venture behind the walls of a former 16th-century Benedictine Monastery to investigate the vast inventory of the Archeological Museum of Asturias. Discover artifacts from prehistory to the modern age spread across three floors of exhibition space.
Start on the ground floor, which hosts the temporary exhibitions and a room dedicated to Asturias properties that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among them are caves with Paleolithic art and the 9th-century Church of San Miguel de Lillo. Stroll through the building's cloister to see heraldic pieces and sarcophagi from different eras.
Head to the first floor where artifacts from prehistoric times and the Neolithic, Copper and Bronze Ages are displayed. Examine ceramic bowls, stone tools, bracelets and bronze daggers.
The second floor covers the age of hill forts when many people in Asturias lived in fortified villages. It lasted from between the end of the Bronze Age to the time of the Romans. See relics, such as fragments of wall decorations and vases, found at the remains of these ancient sites. Visit displays dedicated to the Roman presence in the area and study a wealth of objects including coins, sculptures and weapons.
While on this floor go into the re-creation of the cell of Father Feijoo, an abbot of the monastery of San Vicente. He was also a prominent figure of the Age of Enlightenment in 18th-century Spain.
On the third floor, learn about life in the Middle Ages in Asturias. The collection includes religious objects, sculptures, dice, plates, jugs and cannon balls. Visit the re-creation of a chapel and browse the remains of the Monastery of San Francisco de Oviedo. View the sarcophagus of Don Rodrigo Álvarez of Asturias, a powerful nobleman who died in 1333.
The Archeological Museum of Asturias is open every day except Monday and Tuesday and admission is free. It is located in Oviedo’s Old Town, which is a pedestrianized area.
