With its rich heritage, the Sartène museum presents the most characteristic collections of island archaeology, from the first settlements recorded almost 10,000 years ago to the end of the Genoese period in the 15th century AD. Created from the Centre de Préhistoire Corse (Corsican Prehistory Centre), the most important collections concern prehistory, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age: weapons, ceramics, tools, ornaments, etc. The museum also houses an important collection of statue-menhirs, the jewel in the crown of Corsican and Mediterranean megalithism. The Roman era, with its underwater archaeology, and the Middle Ages are also well represented, with some remarkable pieces (crafts, sculpture, ceramics, munitions, etc.) testifying to the dynamic nature of trade and cultural exchanges, as well as conflicts. The tour traces the history of Corsica's settlement in the heart of the Mediterranean. The museum, which receives material from most of the excavations carried out on the island, offers a close-up view of archaeological research. A visit to the museum is an essential complement to a tour of Corsica's major megalithic sites. Located above the Place Porta, the nerve centre of Sartène, in a new building adjoining the former prison, the museum also offers a majestic panorama of the Gulf of Valinco.
