Musei Civici di Pavia
The museums of the city of Pavia in the 14th-century Castello Visconteo: archaeology, the Lombard section, Romanesque and Renaissance sculpture, picture gallery and 19th-century art.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Musei Civici di Pavia are housed in the Castello Visconteo, built by Galeazzo II Visconti between 1360 and 1365. Since the Second World War the building has housed the civic collections. The castle has lost its north wing, through which the ducal residence originally overlooked the park and connected to the Certosa (charterhouse), but it retains the harmony of one of the most important examples of Lombard late Gothic architecture.
The visit route passes through rooms that still contain frescoes from the Visconti and Sforza periods. The collections cover a very wide span: the Museo Archeologico with its Lombard section, the Romanesque and Renaissance sculpture that documents the artistic development of Pavia, the Pinacoteca Malaspina, the room devoted to the wooden model of the Duomo, the 19th-century quadreria (picture collection), the Gipsoteca with over 200 sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries, largely in plaster, the Civica Scuola di Pittura and other collections.
Each section is in part being re-displayed, and renovation projects affect both the rooms and the architectural and decorative fabric, such as “Luci e ombre” and “Museo resiliente”. The museum also holds an important photographic collection, including the archive of Guglielmo Chiolini, acquired by the municipality in 2009, as well as an art library and a photo library (fototeca). The Cripta di Sant'Eusebio, in piazza Leonardo da Vinci, also belongs to the Musei Civici.
Highlights
- 14th-century Castello Visconteo with frescoes from the Visconti and Sforza periods
- Museo Archeologico and the Lombard section
- Romanesque and Renaissance sculpture from Pavia
- Pinacoteca Malaspina and the 19th-century quadreria
- Wooden model of the Duomo and Gipsoteca
Permanent exhibitions
- Museo Archeologico e sezione longobarda – Archaeology section of the museum, including the part devoted to the Lombard period.
- Scultura romanica e rinascimentale – Rooms VII–XIV illustrate the development of architecture and sculpture in Pavia, from the Romanesque to the Renaissance.
- Pinacoteca Malaspina – The piano nobile (main floor) of the east wing and half of the south wing of the castle is occupied by the picture gallery, which is currently being rearranged.
- Operated by
- Comune di Pavia
- Visitors per year
- approx. 87,236
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5groups of at least 10 people (with booking) and members of affiliated associations |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Seniors | –Free admission from age 70. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · People with disabilities and their companions enter free of charge. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personReduced rate for groups of at least 10 people, with booking at least 5 working days in advance. |
| Corte del Castello | €1€5 on the occasion of special installations. |
Free admission: On the visitor's birthday
Free admission also for holders of the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia Milano, ICOM members, members of the Amici dei Musei e Monumenti pavesi, tourist guides and working journalists, school groups with accompanying teachers, staff of the Italian Ministry of Culture and of public museums in Europe, and foreign citizens resident in Pavia's twin cities. The ticket for the castle courtyard (€1) does not include the museum rooms.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is accessible to people with mobility difficulties, with suitable toilets, lifts and barrier-free routes. For a dedicated entrance you can phone 0382 399770 (access on foot or by car from the main front, Piazza Castello; at the gate ring the bell on the left). Some works have labels with text in Braille. Dogs are admitted only if they are guide or assistance dogs.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
Facilities for children: pushchair storage, a baby-changing station and a breastfeeding area.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Stazione di Pavia · 15-min walk
From Pavia station, Autoguidovie bus 3 or 7 towards the centre. The Cripta di Sant'Eusebio can also be reached by buses 6, 7, 3 and 8.
By car
Parking available
Recommended car parks: viale Indipendenza (free); viale Nazario Sauro, Cattaneo area, viale Matteotti and viale XI Febbraio (paid).
The entrance to the Musei Civici is at the far end of the left side (west wing) of the Castello Visconteo, along viale XI Febbraio. From the station it is about 15 minutes on foot: corso Cavour, piazza della Vittoria, via Strada Nuova, then viale XI Febbraio.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi offered to visitors. Bookshop open during museum hours.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming with professional equipment, tripods and artificial lights are not allowed without authorisation from the museum management. |
| Good to know | At present the permanently open sections are the Museo Archeologico with its Lombard section, the Romanesque and Renaissance sculpture, the Pinacoteca antica (old picture gallery), the room with the wooden model of the Duomo and the 19th-century quadreria; other sections can be visited on request. The museum runs educational services for schools and groups. The castle also has an art library and a photo library, which can be consulted by appointment. |
