Museo delle Armi Antiche.

Museo delle Armi Antiche - Museum Ancient Army, Città di San Marino, Repubblica di San Marino.

The museum displays part of the rich opological collection acquired by the state between 1956 and 1972.
The exhibition, divided into four rooms, traces the evolution of "white arms" and "firearms," ​​with examples of significant historical value, including armor, auction guns, fuses, wheels, and flintlocks, through to the experimental weapons of the nineteenth-century transition and the rear-loading weapons of the last half of the nineteenth century.

Room 1. The Evolution of Weapons at Auction.
   The exhibition presents a rich collection of "auction weapons," from mighty 15th-century war axes to slender and elegant 17th-century ceremonial halberds.
Of particular interest are war axes equipped with very heavy blades, as well as some examples of early halberds with a squat, crude silhouette. Due to the softening of the falcon and butt forms, there is a decline in the value of some weapons at auction in favor of firearms.

Room 2. Armor and armor components.
   Finds of Italian, English, and German origin, dating between 1490 and 1630, demonstrate the superb craftsmanship of European armorers in steelworking.
Among the armor is a very rare children's breastplate of engraved and gilded steel, made in England around 1540 at the Royal Armory in Greenwich.

Room 3. The Evolution of Firearms.
   From the rudimentary arquebuses of the 15th century to the revolutionary technical discoveries of the 18th century, this overview demonstrates the high degree of technological sophistication achieved by gunsmiths sensitive to the artistic dictates of the eras that saw them in action. Among the most valuable exhibits are a rare flintlock musket and a retro-loading rifle, manufactured around 1720 in a southern Bavarian manufactory.
The room also contains a precious collection of swords, decorated with exquisite engravings and gilding.

Room 4. Firearms and Firearms of the 18th-20th centuries.
   The Industrial Revolution of the early 19th century is reflected in the final adoption of firearms as a weapon.
Of particular interest are examples of the first retro-loading weapons, American-made, and the first attempts at simple reproduction.
The armory also contains several examples of Napoleonic-era weapons and sideboards of French, English, and Austrian manufacture.