The Museum of Bodio Lomnago
Set on the shores of Lake Varese, in Bodio Lomnago, the Museum invites visitors to step back in time: virtually, through its immersive room; physically, through the archaeological finds recovered from the lakebed; and finally, by entering a Bronze Age hut reconstructed from the archaeological evidence uncovered during the underwater excavations of the Bodio Centrale pile-dwelling village.
8° 45' 12.6" E
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Map → Why Bodio Lomnago
The lakes around Varese hold 13 pile-dwelling sites, spread across Lake Varese, Lake Monate and Lake Comabbio. Three of them — Isolino Virginia (a small island), Bodio Centrale and the Sabbione — are inscribed on the UNESCO transnational serial site “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps”. Aware of the importance of its own pile-dwelling site, the Municipality of Bodio Lomnago seized the chance to enhance its cultural heritage through the NRRP M1C3 I 2.1 funds made available by the European Union.
THE THREE PROJECT PHASES
Prime location
Overlooking the lakeside cycle path, used by 150,000 people every year, and a short walk from the Bodio Lomnago lido.
A multi-purpose hub
Archaeological displays, educational workshops, immersive projections, talks and events. A chance for schools to enjoy all-round cultural and educational experiences.
A gateway between past and present
The Museum offers a wealth of cultural and sensory experiences: from ancient finds raised from the bed of Lake Varese to the latest technologies in projection, video generation and artificial intelligence.
Immersive room
Inside the Museum, a 150 m² immersive room fitted with advanced technology projects 360° video across its walls. It draws visitors into captivating experiences through striking aerial and underwater footage, filmed alongside the archaeologists who led the research at Bodio Centrale and the neighbouring UNESCO sites.
A CAPTIVATING EXPERIENCE
Let yourself be carried away
into the lakebeds, where history has preserved the remains of a long-vanished culture
Experience the depths
Witness the UNESCO sites in never-before-seen footage, through the very eyes of the archaeologists who brought them to light
Technology
A blend of technological solutions, developed by a dedicated team, makes it possible to host immersive projection events all year round.
The project in numbers
fully funded by the European Union through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, designed to relaunch the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
€2.08 million
fully funded by the European Union65
Businesses, most of them based in the local areaMaking a real difference locally
Economic sustainability
The Museum is launched with a business plan designed to make it as self-sustaining as possible.
Tourism and synergies
NeoBodio aims to be the centrepiece of a renewed effort to promote the local area, encouraging tourism focused on discovering its culture and nature.
Initiatives
Alongside building the Museum, the NRRP-funded project also brings cultural activities to the area: school workshops, educational talks and excursions to discover the area’s natural beauty and its history.
SAVE THE DATE
NeoBodio will open in in Bodio Lomnago.
Get to the heart of the project.
THE BUILD, STAGE BY STAGE →Prehistory Cultural District
We want to shape a new way of experiencing the area’s attractions, building a clear and compelling story that guides visitors through images and films that best capture what happened here over millions of years.
Find out more →
Embark on a breathtaking journey back in time, across three geological eras
NeoBodio stands at the heart of a cultural district of extraordinary variety, rich in remains from the most distant ages.
Centrally placed between Mornago and Besano, it is the starting point of an unforgettable experience that brings together every cultural opportunity the Province of Varese has to offer.
DISCOVER THE DISTRICT →
At the heart of the Province of Varese, rich in beauty and charm
The Museum and the works tied to the project set out to spark a virtuous circle of sustainable tourism, centred on the cultural and natural appeal this province has to offer.
Discover the Province of Varese and its treasures
The 4 UNESCO sites
Varese is the Italian province with the most UNESCO sites — and Italy holds more of them than any other country in the world.
The 7 lakes of the Varese area
Here lies the greatest concentration of lakes in Italy, each with its own character — for natural richness, culture, bathing or tourism.
Mountains, caves and waterfalls
The sweeping views from the Pizzoni di Laveno, the enchanting caves of Valganna, the spectacular waterfalls of Ferrera and the evocative trails of the Cadorna Line. Varese offers endless opportunities to explore and discover.
Beneath the lakes of the Varese area
Take a breath…
Begin a journey into the unknown lakebeds, where ancient remains still lie today, wrapped in mystery.
The Province of Varese is home to 13 underwater pile-dwelling archaeological sites spread across Lake Varese, Lake Monate and Lake Comabbio
Map of the archaeological sites →