In the heart of Chianti and in the medieval center of Castellina, the museum tells the ancient history of Chianti through materials and archaeological data collected in the territory of the four municipalities of the Sienese side: Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Radda in Chianti and Castelnuovo Berardenga. The entrance to the museum, conceived as an extension of the square from which it is accessed, welcomes the visitor with projections that introduce the collection and the archaeological itineraries in the area. The exhibition itinerary is therefore marked by the fundamental periods for the formation of the Chianti landscape, as documented by research and archaeological discoveries.

From the presence of the shepherds who moved with the seasons in search of pastures 4000 years ago, we pass to the Chianti of the Etruscan princes (late 7th-6th century BC) who left in the imposing mound of Monte Calvario, right at the gates of Castellina, a proud testimony of their power. The following period (IV-III century BC), characterized by the spread of fortified settlements on elevated positions (Cetamura, Poggio la Croce), therefore concludes the Etruscan history of Chianti. In each room of the museum the itinerary is illustrated by multimedia projections (films, photographs and animations on the screen) which describe the artefacts on display and the different contexts of origin. It is also worth noting the discovery at Poggio La Croce in Radda in Chianti of some burnt seeds, coming from the probable foundation rite of the village, which attest to the presence of “vitis vinifera” in the Chianti area already 2,300 years ago.