Museo di Palazzo Bonafede

About the museum

The museum is housed in the underground rooms of Palazzo Bonafede, a Renaissance building erected at the beginning of the 16th century for the bishop of Chiusi, Niccolò Bonafede, and today the seat of the town hall of Monte San Giusto. The rooms were originally the kitchens, pantries, cellar and olive presses of the residence; since 2013 they have housed the civic collections.

The best-known core is the collection of drawings by Alessandro Maggiori (1764–1834), a scholar and collector from Fermo. After his death the collection was dispersed and many sheets ended up in major museums around the world; the part that remained in the Marche came to the municipality in 1925. Recent restorations and studies have made it possible to recognise important hands, including Guercino, Carlo Cignani and Sassoferrato.

Alongside the drawings are the picture gallery, with paintings by Alessandro Ricci and Luigi Fontana from the 18th and 19th centuries, the collection dedicated to the sculptor Carlo Cantalamessa (1909–1982), donated by Lino and Livia Brillarelli, and a permanent display of artistic nativity scenes curated by Andrea Pistolesi. The museum is part of the route of the Museo diffuso of Monte San Giusto.

Highlights

• Collection of old drawings by Alessandro Maggiori
• Guercino study for the dome of Piacenza Cathedral
• Drawing by Sassoferrato, the only known sheet by the painter kept in the Marche
• Picture gallery with works by Alessandro Ricci and Luigi Fontana
• Fund of the sculptor Carlo Cantalamessa
• Permanent display of artistic nativity scenes

Permanent exhibitions

• Raccolta di disegni Alessandro Maggiori – Drawings from the 16th to the 18th century collected by Alessandro Maggiori, with sheets attributed to Guercino, Cignani, Sassoferrato and Vasari.
• Pinacoteca e fondo Carlo Cantalamessa – Paintings by Alessandro Ricci and Luigi Fontana and works by the sculptor Carlo Cantalamessa, donated by Lino and Livia Brillarelli.
• Presepi artistici – Permanent display of artistic nativity scenes, curated by Andrea Pistolesi.

Founded

2013

Operated by

Comune di Monte San Giusto

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

Services listed by the Marche Region include reception, a bookshop, a conference room and an audio/video screening room.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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