Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Order a flight of infused ya dong shots.
Tep Bar
Thai-Chinese makes up Bangkok’s largest diaspora.
Nai Ek Roll Noodle
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
6 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
7 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
8 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
9 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Arezzo Theatrum Mundi

Theatrum Mundi

This 21st century cabinet of curiosities includes dinosaur bones, moon rocks, film memorabilia, and more.

Arezzo, Italy

Added By
Felipe Trigo
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Courtesy Theatrum Mundi
  Courtesy Theatrum Mundi
Triceratops skull   Courtesy Theatrum Mundi
  Courtesy Theatrum Mundi
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the heart of the historic Italian city of Arezzo, there is a unique art gallery called Theatrum Mundi, the 21st century cabinet of curiosities. Founded in 2015 by Luca Cableri, this gallery is located in the most dynamic antiquarian district in Tuscany.

With a prestigious career in the art world and a personal passion for the unusual and the bizarre, Cableri decided to pay his tribute to the old tradition of the wunderkammer. The most striking thing about Theatrum Mundi is its eclectic and experimental approach to the cabinets of wonders, which display pieces from space exploration and some of the most celebrated fantasy and science fiction films in the last decades. 

The result, without any doubt, is truly spectacular. The gallery is a 16th century former theater with imposing vaults depicting battles painted by Teofilo Torri, a close associate of the artist Giorgio Vasari. Visitors can admire fascinating treasures from the natural kingdoms, rare scientific devices and automata, and some of the most extravagant artifacts from human and geologic history. Cableri’s goal is to create a universal reflection of our current era, in collaboration with a distinguished team of architects, historians, paleontologists, and photographers.

Among the pieces displayed in the gallery are the skull of a triceratops, a pterodactyl, two complete dinosaur skeletons fighting, a stele from the kingdom of Ramses II, pre-Columbian, Inuit, and Papuan erotic and magic objects, and original costumes from films such as Star Wars, Alien, Batman, and The Mask. 

Cableri’s interests also  extend beyond our planet. He created the “Space Cabinet of Curiosities” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing. This extraterrestrial exhibition includes original Soviet and Russian spacesuits, fragments of lunar rocks and martian meteorites, and ancient astrolabes and telescopes.

The possibilities of Theatrum Mundi are unlimited. Apart from its commercial activity, the gallery participates in art fairs across Europe and organizes exclusive dinners and parties where guests can approach and even touch singular pieces, such as the lunar rock. The gallery also has a central role in the film Wunderkammer – World of Wonder, a tour through the world’s most eccentric and flamboyant private collections. The gallery has released three books on its exhibitions, supported by the local cultural authorities in Arezzo. 

Cableri’s goal is  to organize a great exhibition every year, focused on a different subject; perhaps the next exhibit will be devoted to eroticism in history or the topic of monsters seen by different cultures. Thanks to his wondrous imagination and commitment for the dream of his life, we will always expect miracles to happen in Theatrum Mundi.

 

Related Tags

Wunderkammers Collections Museums And Collections Archaeology Artifacts Film

Know Before You Go

Visits to Theatrum Mundi are available by appointment, and can be scheduled by contacting the gallery.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

FelipeTrigo

Published

November 27, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://tmundi.com/
  • https://www.italianways.com/theatrum-mundi-wunderkammer-between-past-and-present/
Theatrum Mundi
20 Via Andrea Cesalpino
Arezzo, 52100
Italy
43.465057, 11.881575
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Rocca di Pierle

Cortona, Italy

miles away

Castello di Poppi

Poppi, Italy

miles away

Balze del Valdarno

Botriolo, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,054
Stories 110

Nearby Places

Rocca di Pierle

Cortona, Italy

miles away

Castello di Poppi

Poppi, Italy

miles away

Balze del Valdarno

Botriolo, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,054
Stories 110

Related Places

  • The museum entrance.

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Museo Dolores Olmedo

    This extraordinary art museum is like a secret world on the edge of Mexico City.

  • New Orleans, Louisiana

    The Great American Alligator Museum

    Come for the 14-foot-long taxidermy alligator. Stay for the mini costumed gators shooting pool.

  • Outside Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum in Boulder City, NV, with the owner’s custom hearse parked in front.

    Boulder City, Nevada

    Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum

    A professional special effects makeup artist’s collection of horror creatures and one-of-a-kind recreations on display in downtown Boulder City.

  • Bogotá, Colombia

    Casa del Marqués de San Jorge

    This archaeological museum in an 18th-century mansion showcases the country’s finest examples of pre-Columbian ceramics.

  • Shabti figurines in the museum

    Turin, Italy

    Egyptian Museum of Turin

    One of the oldest and most significant collections of Ancient Egyptian archeology outside of Egypt.

  • Naples, Italy

    Stazione Neapolis

    A special area of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples is located inside a metro station.

  • Florence, Italy

    Massimo Listri Foundation

    An extraordinary house museum and cabinet of curiosities in the heart of Florence.

  • Reconstruction of a Vodou prayer room.

    Strasbourg, France

    Château Musée Vodou

    This fascinating museum in an old water tower holds the world's largest collection of Vodou artifacts from western and central Africa.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.