The Maffeian Lapidary Museum (Museo Lapidario Maffeiano) is a small museum of ancient inscriptions beside Verona’s Teatro Filarmonico, just off Piazza Bra. While crowds gather at the nearby Arena, its colonnaded courtyard offers a quieter encounter with the city’s past.
Founded from the collection of Veronese scholar Scipione Maffei in the 18th century, it is one of Europe’s earliest public museums devoted to inscriptions. Greek, Etruscan, Roman and later stones include funerary stelae, altars, sarcophagi and carved dedications. Many have local connections, preserving traces of the people who lived, worked and worshipped in Roman Verona.
You don’t need to read Latin to appreciate the weathered lettering and portraits, though an interest in archaeology or the history of collecting will add another layer to a visit. Allow around 30–45 minutes, check current opening hours before setting out, and pair the museum with a walk around Piazza Bra or a visit to the Arena.