Uno strumento didattico (e non solo): il Museo dell’Arte Classica della Sapienza Università di Roma

The Museo dell’Arte Classica (formerly known as the Museo dei Gessi) at Sapienza University was founded by Emanuel Löwy (1857-1938). From the time of his appointment as professor of Archaeology and Art History at the University of Rome in 1889, Löwy was committed to establishing a collection of casts of ancient sculptures, in line with an educational project inspired by the model of university cast galleries – particularly those that had proliferated in Germany during the 19th century. This paper aims to reflect on the objectives of the Museum in line with current museological approaches, while also offering a few examples of activities undertaken in recent years to enhance knowledge and appreciation of its plaster casts, extending beyond the sculptures themselves.