Moved in 2014 to a new, elegant location in Ortigia within a restored Baroque convent, including a spectacular courtyard with a central well and a rich array of palms, the Papyrus Museum of Syracuse is small and sparse, yet its holdings are of great scientific and cultural significance. The museum is partnered with a center for the study of papyrus, its production, its conservation and restoration, along with a teaching laboratory for school groups and a restoration laboratory for ancient papyrus works.

The papyrus plant, or Cyperus papyrus, appears along the Ciane and Anapo rivers in Syracuse, the only area in Europe in which the plant thrives naturally. This is part of the reason that these rivers make for such fantastic sightseeing by boat. Genetic research on these plants conducted by the Papyrus Museum confirmed that these plants are not native to Syracuse but instead were intentionally imported from Hellenistic Egypt between the third and second centuries B.C. In this Hellenistic age, when Greek was the official language of both Egypt and Syracuse, as well as during the Roman era, Syracuse was in fact the first stop for the ships that made the journey between the Middle East and Italy, as evidenced by Saint Paul’s preaching performed in the city on his journey from Palestine to Rome.

As a room in the museum reveals, the presence of papyrus in Syracuse meant that by the end of the eighteenth century individuals were experimenting to discover the secrets of the ancient technique of papyrus papermaking, which tourists today can find in all the souvenir shops of Ortigia. The first experiments were performed using full-grown papyrus reeds and yielded brown paper. Ancient cultures used these brown sheets to package object, while nineteenth century populations sometimes used them to cover windows and to execute preliminary drawings.

Subsequently it was discovered that to obtain a pure white sheet of papyrus paper one was required the use premature plant stalks. The resulting paper, which in itself was already sufficiently white to be used for writing, could, in ancient times, be further bleached or dyed different tints for wealthy clientele.

The centuries-old tradition of experimenting with papyrus allowed Syracusan artisans to develop an exceptional practice unique in the world. Thus, it should come as no surprise that archaeological museums around the world, from Turin to Cairo, have entrusted their ancient papyrus restoration and conservation projects to Syracuse’s technical team.

The museum was envisioned as a space suitable for teaching as well, with projector-equipped rooms and workshop spaces for students, and thus it makes for a great destination for school groups of al ages. Younger students, for example, after a primer on the use of papyrus in antiquity, then head to the laboratory and are given the opportunity to write their name in its Egyptian hieroglyphic equivalent as a souvenir.

Another room of the museum is reserved for demonstration of the technique of making papyrus paper. Schools can book this demo in advance; individual visitors can ask at the ticket office at the beginning of their visit for availability. In the demonstration, a stalk of fresh papyrus is peeled, and the white pulp is cut into strips. These strips are placed vertically such that they slightly overlap on the edges, which allows the pulp’s natural stickiness to adhere the strips together without the need for additional adhesives.

A second layer is then laid on, perpendicular to the first, and then the whole is pressed with a stone roller or press to join the strips into a single sheet.

Once dried, these sheets, in antiquity, would have been trimmed and sold as individual sheets or joined in longer scrolls. The grain of the stem of the plant remained slightly visible: the side of the paper with the horizontal stripes was called in the ancient world the recto, and was used for writing, while the side with the vertical veins was the verso, and was typically left blank. The roll produced by a continuous sheet of papyrus was wrapped around itself or around a stick, or umbilicum. In Latin, these rolls were known as volumen, the remnants of which we find in today’s “volume.” Many European languages also use similar terms for paper (papier, papél), which in essence is a term derived from the original sheets of papyrus.

Adult visitors also interested in the related phases of papyrus production can look to the scientific documentation shared in the museum’s halls, including some fantastic reconstructions of the tools for processing papyrus as well as some ancient examples, dating to 3000 B.C. and still used today by museum staff.  

The last, large room displays a collection of ancient papyrus from the fifteenth century B.C. to the eight century A.D., that is, before the secret of fiber-or animal-based paper had reached the European continent from China. One can also find examples of other objects created with the papyrus plant in Africa, such as baskets, ropes, mats and sandals.

Particularly spectacular are three boats from Lake Chad, remarkably similar to those depicted in ancient Egyptian wall painting and thus reflecting a building tradition that stretches back millennia. In this room, attention is devoted to the paintings above the architrave, which are not simple decorations but reproductions of scenes copied from papyrus and Egyptian frescoes showing all stages of collection and processing of papyrus.

Due to its small size (only five or six rooms), and the relative cost of a ticket, this museum is perfect for a stroll in the half hour before lunch or dinner, or even at the end of the day for a refreshing divertissement to recharge you for the evening. For this reason it is suitable for those traveling with young children, as they will find each room filled with intriguing curiosities. Please note that the ticket office closes one hour before the museum.

The Papyrus Museum is only a few minutes walk from both hotels.

Visitor Information.

The Papyrus Museum is located on the Via Nizza 14. From May to September (summer hours), the museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:15 a.m. to 7 p.m.; on Sundays and holidays, the museum is open from 9:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museum maintains the same hours (9:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.) from October to April, but is open only Tuesday-Sunday (closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day). Admission is allowed until one hour before closing.

Apart from a modest step between the street level and the threshold of the convent, the museum is wheelchair accessible and is well equipped for visitors with mobility difficulties. For more information on the special events occurring at the Papyrus Museum, you may visit their website.

For advance reservations, you may call or send a fax to 0931 22100 or send an email to: segreteria@museodelpapiro.it.

The opening hours listed on their website are also up to date.