Museo dell'Opera del Duomo

About the museum

The Museo dell'Opera, founded in 1869 with the consent of the Ministry of Public Instruction, is one of the oldest private museums established in Italy. It is housed in the spaces created by closing the first three bays of the right nave of the so-called Duomo Nuovo, whose construction, begun in 1339, was interrupted after the plague of 1348. It belongs to the monumental complex of the Siena Duomo, managed by the Opera della Metropolitana, a non-profit body that uses the ticket income for the conservation and restoration of the complex.

On the ground floor are displayed the 14th-century statues of Sibyls, Prophets and Philosophers carved by Giovanni Pisano for the Cathedral façade, the relief by Jacopo della Quercia, the tondo of the Madonna del Perdono by Donatello and the large stained-glass window by Duccio di Buoninsegna, made between 1287 and 1290 for the apse oculus. On the first floor is Duccio's Maestà (1308–1311), with the Madonna enthroned on the front and, on the back, the stories of the Passion, together with the Nativity of the Virgin by Pietro Lorenzetti, wooden sculptures and illuminated codices.

The Sala del Tesoro (Treasury) brings together over two hundred liturgical objects, including chalices, reliquaries and the Golden Rose given by Alexander VII in 1658. On the top floor are displayed panel and canvas paintings from the Cathedral, such as the Madonna degli Occhi Grossi by the Master of Tressa, the altarpieces by Matteo di Giovanni and the Saint Paul enthroned by Domenico Beccafumi, as well as nineteenth-century sketches for the façade mosaics.

Highlights

• Duccio di Buoninsegna's Maestà (1308–1311)
• Large stained-glass window by Duccio for the apse oculus of the Duomo (1287–1290)
• Statues by Giovanni Pisano from the Duomo façade
• Donatello's Madonna del Perdono
• Sala del Tesoro with reliquaries and the Golden Rose

Permanent exhibitions

• Maestà di Duccio e vetrata – On the first floor Duccio di Buoninsegna's Maestà and Pietro Lorenzetti's Nativity of the Virgin; on the ground floor Duccio's large stained-glass window and Giovanni Pisano's statues.
• Sala del Tesoro – Over two hundred liturgical objects, including chalices, reliquaries and the Golden Rose given by Alexander VII.
• Dipinti dal Duecento all'Ottocento – On the top floor the Madonna degli Occhi Grossi, the altarpieces by Matteo di Giovanni, Beccafumi's Saint Paul and sketches for the façade mosaics.

Founded

1869

Operated by

Opera della Metropolitana di Siena

Admission & discounts

There is no ticket for the museum alone: the Opa Si Pass gives access, in about two hours and valid for three consecutive days, to all sites of the complex (Cathedral, Libreria Piccolomini, Museo dell'Opera, Panorama from the Facciatone, Crypt, Baptistery, Oratorio di San Bernardino). It costs €14 during the year and €16 during the uncovering of the Cathedral floor (27 June–31 July and 18 August–15 November 2026). Free admission also for residents and people born in the Comune di Siena, accredited journalists, religious men and women, and parish groups of the Archdiocese with a letter from the parish priest. Tickets online, by phone and at the ticket offices of Piazza Duomo 7 and at the Visitor Center “Dear Guests” in via di Città 48.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Duomo is accessible via a ramp on the left side of the building, while the Museum, the Crypt and the Baptistery currently have no facilities for people with motor disabilities.

Kids & families

Getting there & parking

The Duomo is in the historic centre, where cars cannot reach it directly.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museo dell'Opera bookshop in Piazza Duomo 8 and Shop Antica Canonica inside the Cathedral (tel. 0577 47980).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit