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Museum · Como, Lombardia
Tempio Voltiano
Museum shaped like a neoclassical temple on the lakeside, dedicated to Alessandro Volta, born in Como and inventor of the electric battery.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Tempio Voltiano
The Tempio Voltiano was inaugurated in 1928 to house the instruments and the memory of Alessandro Volta, a physicist born in Como in 1745 and inventor of the voltaic pile, presented in 1800. The building was donated to the city by the industrialist Francesco Somaini and designed by Federico Frigerio, who was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.
Inside, the circular hall, with a colourful marble floor and a dome with a central skylight, contains display cases with original devices and reconstructions: piles, electrophori, eudiometers and other instruments used in studies of electricity and gases. There are also documents, medals and the scientist’s personal items.
The museum is small and helps explain why the unit of electric potential, the volt, bears his name. The visit pairs well with the waterside walk, since the temple stands at the start of the path to Villa Olmo.
The Tempio Voltiano is one of the seats of the Musei Civici de Como and charges an admission fee. It is closed on Mondays: check opening times before you go.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
40 minutes to 1 hour.
Best time
At any opening hour; goes well with a late-afternoon stroll along the waterfront toward Villa Olmo.
How to get there
Viale Marconi, on the lakeside, about a 10-minute walk from Piazza Cavour and the stations Como Nord Lago and Como San Giovanni.
Tip
Visit the museum before continuing along the Passeggiata Lino Gelpi to Villa Olmo. Outside, the Life Electric monument, in steel, honors Volta at the tip of the breakwater.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Tempio Voltiano
Who was Alessandro Volta?
Physicist born in Como in 1745, inventor of the electric battery. The unit volt is named after him.
What can you see at the Tempio Voltiano?
Original instruments and reconstructions used by Volta, such as piles and devices for studying electricity and gases, as well as documents and personal objects.
Is the museum open every day?
No. It closes on Mondays and on some holidays. Check the opening times before you go.