Moyseion Matera: World's First 'Inhabited Museum' Opens in Ancient Italian City

Moyseion Matera, the world's first 'inhabited museum,' opened in late 2024 in Matera, Italy. Founded by artist and lawyer Antonio Panetta, the project spans over 1,000 square meters of excavated rock within the city's historic Sassi district, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. It offers an immersive experience where guests can live within recreated historical environments, featuring 16 dwellings divided into Neolithic, Enotrian, and Magna Graecia themes. The museum's approach, termed 'poetic archaeology,' reactivates cultural heritage through sensory engagement, avoiding digital technologies in favor of physical immersion. A central Water Sanctuary, inspired by Hellenistic thermal complexes, serves as a ritual purification space dedicated to the goddess Demeter, where classicists and performers guide guests through narratives based on ancient myths. Daily evening symposia feature period music, food, and wine, while the akratisma breakfast offers historically accurate dishes curated by food anthropologists. The staff consists of archaeologists, classicists, musicians, and performers rather than traditional hospitality workers. Collaborations include Lotos Lab in Cambridge for research on ancient Greek music. The project aims to highlight the often-overlooked Magna Graecia heritage of Southern Italy. Matera, located in Basilicata, is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and was a European Capital of Culture in 2019.