Aventicum

What Aventicum does

Aventicum (Site et Musée romains d'Avenches) is a public cultural institution of the Canton de Vaud, Switzerland, that operates the Roman archaeological site and museum of Avenches — the ancient capital of Roman Helvetia. The institution manages an outdoor monument park containing ten preserved Roman structures (amphitheatre, Roman theatre, Sanctuary of Cigognier, temple, city walls, gates, forum baths, and palace of Derrière la Tour) alongside a three-floor Roman Museum with permanent and rotating exhibitions. It is governed by the Cantonal services SERAC and SIPaL, with research and publication support from Association Pro Aventico.

The institution's core offerings span five operational pillars: (1) museum exhibitions (permanent and temporary, e.g., 'Au boulot! Vies et métiers d'Aventicum'); (2) active archaeological excavation programs with current research and legal framework documentation; (3) conservation-restoration services covering artifacts, mosaics, painted plaster, and monuments, including external mandates; (4) educational mediation programs for schools, guided visits, workshops, and pedagogical documents; and (5) a publication program including the Bulletin de l'Association Pro Aventico, the 'Aventicum' periodical, Museum Documents (No. 1-28), Cahiers d'archéologie romande, and annual activity reports. Supporting digital infrastructure includes the Erleb-AR augmented reality application (developed in partnership with Bern University of Applied Sciences), the AppMuseums mobile application, and digitized archives hosted on the Swiss National Library's e-helvetica platform and Memoriav.

Aventicum operates on a non-commercial public-funding model. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and no revenue figures are available; the institution is structurally dependent on cantonal appropriations from the Canton de Vaud. Customer segments include general public and cultural tourists (primary), educational institutions/schools (primary), and a secondary segment of researchers and archaeologists. Distribution is through physical site visits, an online boutique selling publications and merchandise, free digital archive access, and regional tourism partnerships. The institution has ~6 employees, no commercial revenue disclosure, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no private ownership.

Name

Aventicum

Legal name

Aventicum - Site et Musée romains d'Avenches

Website

https://aventicum.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aventicum is a public cultural institution of the Canton de Vaud, Switzerland, operating the Roman archaeological site and museum of Avenches (ancient Aventicum). It serves cultural tourists, schools, and researchers through exhibitions, archaeological research, conservation-restoration, education programs, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Museum

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Museums (71211)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers (THAJADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

Keywords

• Roman archaeology museum
• Cultural heritage site
• Archaeological conservation
• Museum education programs
• Historical publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Avenches

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aventicum is a combined Roman archaeological site and museum located in Avenches, Switzerland, presenting the heritage of Roman Helvetia. It operates permanent and temporary exhibitions across three museum floors, an open-air site with ten Roman monuments (amphitheatre, theatre, sanctuaries, baths, walls, gates), active archaeological excavation programs, conservation-restoration services, an educational mediation program for schools, a research library, digitized collections and archives, and a publications program including bulletins and periodical issues.

Product overview

Aventicum is a combined archaeological site and museum institution operated by the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The offering comprises the Roman Museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions across three floors, an extensive outdoor monument site with 10+ Roman structures (amphitheatre, theatre, temples, baths), digitized collections and archives, active archaeological research programs, conservation-restoration services, educational mediation programs, and a research library. Supporting services include publications (periodicals, bulletins, catalogs), an online shop, and digital tools including the AppMuseums mobile app and Erleb-AR augmented reality application for enhanced visitor experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pro Aventico: The Association Pro Aventico is the support association for Aventicum that publishes the Aventicum periodical and supports the museum's activities.

Products and services

• Site and Roman Museum of Avenches (Aventicum) A combined archaeological site and museum in Avenches, Switzerland, showcasing the Roman capital of Helvetia with preserved monuments, artifact collections, exhibitions, and educational programs for general public visitors, tourists, and school groups.
• Conservation-Restoration Services Specialized conservation-restoration services including artifact treatment, site interventions, monument conservation, mosaic and painted plaster restoration, studies, and external conservation mandates for institutions requiring Roman archaeology expertise.
• Educational Mediation and Teaching Programs Educational programs for schools and the public including guided visits, workshops, animations, and pedagogical documents covering Roman history and archaeology, tailored to different age groups and curriculum needs.
• Archaeological Excavation and Research Services Active archaeological excavation programs and research services at the Aventicum site, providing historical research, legal framework documentation, and specialist archaeological tasks for academic and institutional clients.
• Publications Program Published periodicals, museum documents, archaeological bulletins, exhibition catalogs, and bibliographies covering Roman archaeology research, available in both print and digitized formats through the Swiss National Library e-helvetica platform.
• Online Shop (Boutique en ligne) Online store offering museum publications, guides, exhibition catalogs, and related educational merchandise related to the Roman archaeological site and museum.
• AppMuseums Mobile Application Free mobile application that accompanies visitors during their visit, providing additional information about the site, exposed objects, ancient monuments, and practical information about the museum and Roman monuments.
• Erleb-AR Augmented Reality Application Augmented reality application allowing visitors to experience the Sanctuary of the Cigognier, the amphitheatre, and the Roman theatre of Avenches as they would have appeared in ancient Roman times, available on Google Play and App Store.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canton de VaudcoreOthersAventicum is an institution of the Canton de Vaud, attached to the Service des affaires culturelles (SERAC) and the Service Immeubles, patrimoine et logistique (SIPaL). The Canton provides institutional support and governance.
• Association Pro AventicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation Pro Aventico supports the Site and Museum through publications (Bulletin de l'Association), research contributions, and member engagement. Publishes the Aventicum periodical with news about excavations and research.
• MemoriavminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation for the preservation of audiovisual Swiss heritage that supported the digitization of approximately 2,500 historical negative photographs from the early 20th century (1911-1951).
• Musée Cantonal d'Archéologie et d'Histoire (MCAAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the preparation of a flyer for discovering Roman museums and sites of the Canton of Vaud, working together with Cantonal Archaeology and the museums network.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• AppMuseums (Stiftung appMuseen): Swiss foundation providing the Appmuseums mobile platform used by Aventicum for visitor-facing content. Comparable as the enabling technology/infrastructure provider that connects Aventicum to a network of partner museums across Switzerland.

Broad incumbents

• Musée d'archéologie nationale (Domaine de Saint-Germain-en-Laye): French national archaeology museum presenting prehistoric through medieval collections including significant Gallo-Roman holdings. Comparable as a publicly funded national/regional archaeology museum with research, conservation, and educational programming.
• Pompeii Archaeological Park: World-famous Roman archaeological site in Italy with massive excavation, conservation, and visitor infrastructure. Comparable as a Roman open-air archaeological park, though vastly larger in scale, visitor volume, and conservation budget.
• British Museum: Major global museum with extensive antiquities collections, including Roman holdings, public digitizations, and large-scale educational programs. Adjacent benchmark for museum digitization, online collections access, and school-mediation scale.

Direct peers

• Carnuntum Archaeological Park: Major Roman archaeological park in Lower Austria presenting reconstructed gladiator school, amphitheatre, and civilian settlement. Comparable as a large outdoor Roman site with immersive visitor experience and AR/digital reconstructions — a benchmark for scale and digital engagement.
• Vindonissa Museum: Swiss Roman legionary camp site and museum in Windisch/AG, presenting Roman military archaeology with preserved structures and exhibitions. Directly comparable as a Swiss Roman heritage institution with active excavation, museum, and educational programming.
• Augusta Raurica: Roman archaeological park and museum in Augst, Switzerland, operating a preserved Roman site with amphitheatre, theatre, and museum collections. Closest comparable to Aventicum in Switzerland in scale, function, and curatorial scope, also publicly funded at cantonal level.

Regional players

• Musée romain de Nyon: Roman museum in Nyon, Canton of Vaud, focused on Colonia Iulia Equestris. Already a formal network partner of Aventicum via the MCAAH joint flyer; comparable as a Vaud-based Roman museum, though smaller and indoor-focused.
• Musée d'Yverdon et région: Museum in Yverdon-les-Bains presenting regional archaeology including Roman-era Eburodunum finds. Network peer within the Vaud Roman museums circuit co-marketed with Aventicum.
• Musée romain de Lausanne-Vidy: Roman museum in Lausanne-Vidy, Canton of Vaud, presenting Lousonna archaeological finds. Partner in the Vaud Roman museums network alongside Aventicum; comparable as a regional Roman heritage institution serving a Vaud audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SMRA.Aventicum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aventicum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aventicum