The Archaeological Civic Museum is dedicated to Bartolomeo Sacchi, known as “Platina”, a Renaissance Humanist, who was born in Piadena in 1421. Characterised by an open and rebellious temper, Platina was the tutor of Ludovico Gonzaga’s children; in 1457 he was in Florence where he became acquainted with the Medici family; then, in 1462, he moved to Rome, where he became Secretary to Cardinal Francesco Gonzaga. Appointed Apostolic Abbreviator by Pio II, he wrote an insolent letter to his successor, Paul II, who had dissolved the College of Abbreviators; as a consequence of his action, Platina was sent to prison for 4 months. He returned to prison in 1468-69, being involved in the conspiracy plotted against Paul II by the members of Pomponio Leto’s Roman Academy. He achieved power and honour again under Sisto VI, who appointed him Director of the Vatican Library. To him Platina dedicated his most important work, a collection of Popes ‘ biographies, Liber de vita Christi ac omnium pontificum.   He died in Rome in 1481. He also wrote: De principe, De vera nobilitate, De falso et vero bono;  a Historia urbis Mantuae and a gastronomic manual, complete of recipes, De obsoniis ac de honesta voluptate et valetudine, which stands among the first works known in this field.

The Museum is situated on the first floor of the ancient Gerolimini Monastery, today seat of Piadena Town Hall. Built in the XVII century, the building has a square plan; internally, a suggestive cloister enclosed by elegant tuscanic columns, sustaining a rhythmical sequence of round arches.

The archaeological heritage of the area around Piadena was already known at the end of the XIX century; Patroni, Castelfranco, Orefici and Locatelli were the first researchers to show a certain interest. Unfortunately the materials recovered by them during the first excavations were then spread into various museums in Roma, Milan, Cremona, Mantova and Viadana.

To retrace the interest focused by archaeologists on this area, it is necessary to wait until 1957, when the Archaeological Superintendence carried out the first excavation works in Bedriacum (today’s Calvatone).

Following the wave of enthusiasm caused by these recoveries, the Municipal Administration was urged and convinced by a group of local enthusiasts to take steps to found an "Antiquarium Platina".

The first constitutive act of the Museum goes back to 1957; its opening was in 1960.

The first aim of the museum is to promote the interest and the study of the ancient civilisations which developed and disappeared around Piadena, besides obviously preventing the loss of its rich archaeological heritage.

Since 1974, almost every year some archaeological excavations have been carried out in the surroundings; they have so enormously increased the quantity of finds conserved in the Museum that the exhibiting space has now become insufficient.

Today the activity of the museum is mostly and freely performed by the Research Group, a group of volunteers, formed in 1971; this, together with the local and regional administrators, promotes the cultural activities, collaborating with the Archaeological Superintendence of Lombardy to the protection of archaeological areas.

This co-operation has made the Museum become more and more important and today it can be ranged among the most interesting archaeological museums in Lombardy.

Piadena Museum Research Group