San Antonio Museum of Art Presents The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy

On view starting October 31, 2026

Press Release, Images and Captions

San Antonio, TX—August 18, 2026— For the first time, the ancient Etruscans will take center stage at the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) in a major international exhibition.  Opening October 31, 2026, The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy introduces the remarkable culture that flourished in central Italy before the rise of the Roman Empire. The exhibition will be on view in the Cowden Gallery through March 14, 2027.

The exhibition highlights the Etruscans’ artistic developments, social practices, religious beliefs, and funerary customs, offering visitors modern insight into the ancient culture by presenting the latest advances in scholarship and recent archaeological discoveries. 

Organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in association with SAMA, The Etruscans was chosen as a must-see exhibition by the New York Times before its spring debut at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. SAMA is the only other venue in the United States where the exhibition will be shown. 

"The ancient Etruscans made stunning works of art that spoke to their fundamental customs and beliefs," said Jessica Powers, PhD, Chief Curator and Gilbert M. Denman Jr. Curator of Art of the Ancient Mediterranean. Powers, who will be the exhibition's presenting curator at SAMA, continued: "This exhibition offers our community a wonderful opportunity to learn more about this extraordinary culture that is not well known in the US."

The Etruscans features approximately 130 works from more than 20 museums, including extraordinary objects in gold, silver, bronze and terracotta that have rarely, if ever, been exhibited outside of Italy. Among the highlights are treasures lent by the Vatican Museums, the Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia in Rome, the British Museum, and the Louvre. 

Thriving from around 900 to 100 BC, the Etruscans made impressive achievements in the arts and architecture and traded extensively with other cultures around the Mediterranean, especially the Greeks and Phoenicians. While their cities were ultimately absorbed by the Roman Empire, the Etruscans profoundly influenced the culture of their successors. Many innovations associated with ancient Rome, such as togas and Roman numerals, were originally Etruscan.  

“The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy highlights a remarkably innovative civilization whose influence shaped the ancient Mediterranean world and continues to be uncovered through ongoing research,” said Emily Ballew Neff, PhD, the Kelso Director at SAMA. “We’re proud to bring this extraordinary exhibition to San Antonio and offer our community a deeper understanding of this fascinating culture and its enduring legacy.”

Renée Dreyfus, Curator in Charge of Ancient Art at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, will be at SAMA for a lecture on Friday, October 30, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. to preview the public opening of the exhibition. Additionally, the exhibition will feature a full slate of programs, including guided tours every Tuesday and Sunday for the duration of the exhibition. For additional programs, information, and registration, please visit www.samuseum.org/calendar. 

The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy is organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in association with the San Antonio Museum of Art. 

In San Antonio, The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy is generously supported by The Brown Foundation. Vital support has also been provided by Marie Halff, with additional funding from Dana McGinnis as well as the Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992, the Marcia and Otto Koehler Foundation, the Consulate General of Italy in Houston and the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles. The exhibition is also funded by the Sue Denman Memorial and the Daniel Sullivan Exhibition Endowments.  

       
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San Antonio Museum of Art: 
The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains more than 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city.
For more information, visit samuseum.org.

Visitor Information: 
The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy is included with Museum admission.

Media: 
For digital images or additional information, please contact: 
Alma Solís, PR & Social Media Manager 
210.978.8113 | alma.solis@samuseum.org