From the ninth to the first centuries BC, in the period preceding the Roman empire, Etruscan culture flourished in present-day Tuscany, Italy leaving behind a rich history and traditions reflected in artistic objects found in tombs, temples, sanctuaries, and homes. Organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (the “Fine Arts Museums”), the new exhibition The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy will preset nearly 200 objects from the ancient civilization, such as bronze and terracotta vessels and sculptures, dazzling gold jewelry, and other treasures, including recently excavated bronze sculpture, on view to the public for the first time.

The exhibition, opening in May 2026 at the Legion of Honor museum, will present the latest advances in scholarship, translation of the Etruscan language, and archaeological discoveries, offering visitors modern insight into the ancient culture. Visitors will also take away an understanding of Etruscan contributions to Western architecture, art and engineering - contributions that have been historically overshadowed by those of the ancient Greeks and Romans. 

“Though lesser known than their Roman counterparts, the Etruscans left behind a legacy of outstanding gold and bronze craftsmanship, creating objects of unparalleled beauty,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. “After 10 years of careful research and planning, we’re delighted to bring this exhibition to US audiences and hope guests leave with a deep appreciation and understanding of Etruscan artistic achievements and inventions.”

“I have wanted to bring the Etruscans to the forefront for many years,” shared Renée Dreyfus, exhibition curator and George and Judy Marcus Distinguished Curator and Curator in Charge of Ancient Art at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. “This exhibition tells the story of this overlooked culture, featuring icons of Etruscan art surrounded by equally stunning and fascinating works that are little known or even unknown. Many of these works have never been seen in the United States before.”

The exhibition will feature a variety of bronze sculptures, mirrors, and elaborate vessels, revealing the Etruscans’ renowned metalworking skills. They exported their wares and natural resources, and imported ideas and goods from their trading partners, including Egypt, the Near East, and mainland Greece. Etruria was rich in metals, particularly copper, tin, and iron; consequently, the Etruscans became master bronzesmiths who exported their finely crafted products throughout the Mediterranean region. 

As a devoutly religious society, the Etruscans put their metalworking and goldsmithing skills to work creating intricate ritual and burial objects. Luxurious grave goods from a wealthy woman’s burial will be on view including gold jewels; silver, gilded, and bronze objects, on loan from the Vatican’s Gregorian Etruscan Museum. The section on women will reveal their high status in Etruscan society.

Etruscan daily life included divination, rituals, and strict religious rules determined by a priestly class. Exemplifying this, the Linen Book of Zagreb—a third-century BC calendar of rituals and sacrifices for specific days of the year and the longest Etruscan inscription known to exist—will be featured in the exhibition, marking its first appearance in the United States. In addition, on view will be several bronze and terracotta objects with Etruscan inscriptions, two vessels inscribed with the Etruscan alphabet, and the lid of a cinerary urn depicting a reclining man holding a liver–a ritual object used to predict the future.

Much of Etruscan technology and architecture, such as their elaborate temples and public buildings, sophisticated hydraulic works, complex city planning, and engineering projects, was adopted by the Romans. The exhibition will end with a gallery revealing the Etruscans’ influence on ancient Rome and the merging of the two cultures as the Etruscans were integrated into the Roman state and received Roman citizenship. 

The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy is organized by Renée Dreyfus, the Museums’ George and Judy Marcus Distinguished Curator in Charge of Ancient Art. The Etruscans opens at the Legion of Honor on May 2 and runs through September 20, 2026. After its presentation at the Legion of Honor, the exhibition will be on display in San Antonio, Texas at the San Antonio Museum of Art, October 31, 2026 through March 14, 2027.

Exhibition Organization

The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy is organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Lead Sponsor is Diane B. Wilsey. Major Support comes from Elizabeth and Bruce Dunlevie, Estate of Sheila Wishek for the Ancient Art Council, Barbara A. Wolfe, and the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Generous Support comes from Matthew and Janice Barger, Sandra Bessières, and Karen Wilberding Diefenbach and John Diefenbach. Additional support provided by Bernard and Jane von Bothmer, the Chang Mooi Family Foundation, and Jan and Bob Newman. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Ancient Art at the Fine Arts Museums

Ancient art has been an integral part of the Legion of Honor and the de Young since each museum was founded. Antiquities were considered essential to any museum in the early 20th century, and both M.H. de Young, founder of the de Young, and Alma Spreckels, cofounder of the Legion of Honor, furnished their institutions with a variety of ancient objects. The works they brought to each museum and those that have been added over the years cover a broad geographical and chronological range across the ancient Mediterranean basin—primarily Egypt, the Near East, Greece, the Aegean Islands, Etruria, and Rome.

The Legion of Honor is home to a number of rare works of high quality and importance dating from the fourth millennium BC through the classical, late antique, early Christian, and Islamic periods. Splendid examples of art from these early civilizations, spanning more than 5,000 years, provide the foundation for the understanding of Western art and the progression of cultures through the ages. Ancient art objects on view at the Legion feature a wide gamut of sculptures, figurines, vessels, jewelry, and carved reliefs made of diverse materials, such as marble and other stones, bronze, gold, ivory, terracotta, wood, and glass. Notable works include an Assyrian stone relief and carved ivory plaques from the ancient site of Nimrud; an Achaemenid Persian wall relief from the palace of Xerxes in Persepolis; Egyptian mummies and coffins; a 4,000-year-old carved wood figure of Seneb, the Egyptian royal scribe; and a Sasanian silver-gilt bowl, as well as classical marble sculptures and painted vases.