Two and a half years of closure still aren't enough. The Antiquarium Arborense will remain off-limits at least until the fall, derailing the reopening the Municipality had hoped to achieve by the summer. Culture Councilor Simone Prevete confirmed the new delay: "We're finalizing the paperwork for submission to the Ministry, but given the summer season, it's now likely that everything will be postponed until the fall."
The postponement comes just over two months after the councilor himself reassured the city council when, in response to a question from the center-left, he set a target of summer 2026 for the fully renovated museum to be returned to the city.
What's slowing down the reopening is no longer the construction site, but the complex accreditation process with the Ministry of Culture, which is essential to obtaining approval for the new exhibition. Certifications, the final scientific project, the inventory of state-owned artifacts, and some restoration work still need to be completed.
Work began on February 19, 2024, thanks to a €500,000 National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) grant. The construction schedule envisaged just 120 days of construction, but today, nearly 900 days after the start of work, the museum dedicated to Peppetto Pau is still closed. Only after the Ministry's approval will the Antiquarium be able to reopen, leaving Oristano without its main archaeological museum for this tourist season as well.
