Underground Water Museum to Open in Naples by October 2020

A new underground water museum, the Museo sotterraneo dell'acqua, is set to open by October 2020 beneath the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore alla Pietrasanta in Naples, a UNESCO site. The museum will be part of the Polo Culturale della Basilica, which already includes the Lapis Museum. The project is a collaboration between ABC (Acqua Bene Comune, the municipal water utility), the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN), the Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory, the Vesuvius Observatory, and Pietrasanta Onlus, which invested €1.5 million. The main attractions are two large cisterns: one with a capacity of 150 cubic meters and the larger Piscina del Principe (400 cubic meters), located beneath the palace of Prince Gaetano Filangieri d'Arianello. The museum will feature multimedia displays, interactive panels, infographics, visible streams, and immersive light and sound installations. Visitors can also explore tuff galleries used as air-raid shelters during World War II. In 2021, a collaboration with the Astronomical Observatory will create the first 'underground astronomical gallery' with virtual space walks. The museum is designed by architect Maria Rosaria Salzano and will be accessible via a glass elevator funded by the Campania Region, descending 35 meters below the basilica. Pietrasanta Onlus president Lello Iovine emphasized the private investment model as a sustainable and replicable approach to cultural heritage, creating jobs and visitor flows.