Museo delle sinopie

About the museum

A sinopia is the first stage in making a fresco: the drawing laid down with a brush on the first layer of plaster in a red pigment, the earth of Sinope, mixed with water. The sinopie kept in this museum are the preparatory drawings for the great fresco cycles of the Camposanto Monumentale, and they allow the styles of Buonamico Buffalmacco, author of the Trionfo della Morte (Triumph of Death), of Taddeo Gaddi, of Pietro di Puccio of Orvieto and of Benozzo Gozzoli, who completed the Stories of the Old Testament, to be compared: the largest body of 14th- and 15th-century graphic work known so far.

The collection, unique in the world, came to light after the fire at the Camposanto during the bombings of the Second World War. Detaching the frescoes from the wall, necessary to recover the parts spared by the fire and restore them, revealed the hidden sinopie, which were detached with the same technique (strappo) and since 1979 have been housed in the present museum.

The building, possibly built on the site of an earlier hospital and also called Spedale della Misericordia and later Spedale di Santa Chiara, was designed by Giovanni di Simone, who also led the first construction work on the Camposanto. It was built in brick between 1257 and 1286 and includes the church and the large rectangular hall of the Pellegrinaio degli Infermi, a building for the care of the poor, pilgrims and the sick, covered with timber trusses and decorated inside with a painted imitation of two-tone marble cladding. After a restoration designed in the 1970s, a new display in 2005 added an information and communication area to the route.

Highlights

• Sinopie of the Trionfo della Morte (Triumph of Death) by Buonamico Buffalmacco
• Preparatory drawings by Taddeo Gaddi, Pietro di Puccio and Benozzo Gozzoli
• A collection unique in the world, recovered after the fire at the Camposanto
• 13th-century Pellegrinaio degli Infermi with timber trusses
• Information and multimedia area on the recovery of the sinopie

Permanent exhibition

• Le sinopie del Camposanto Monumentale – The sinopie detached after the fire at the Camposanto, preparatory drawings for the frescoes of Buffalmacco, Gaddi, Pietro di Puccio and Benozzo Gozzoli.

Founded

1979

Operated by

Opera della Primaziale Pisana

Admission & discounts

Each ticket for a monument in the square includes free, unlimited-time admission to the Cathedral. The ticket for the museums and other monuments (excluding the Tower) is valid for one year from the chosen date. The amounts shown come from a 2025 listing (single monument €8); current prices are on the Opera’s website. Online tickets can be bought up to 90 days in advance, or at the on-site ticket offices with cash or card.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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 Opera’s website offers service charters for deaf people, people with cognitive disabilities, people with reduced mobility, and blind and partially sighted people, as well as a collection of six videos in Italian Sign Language (LIS), “MiracoLIS”, with subtitles. For visitors on the autism spectrum a Sensory Bag is available, with a guide in augmentative and alternative communication.

Kids & families

Free admission for children under 11 accompanied by an adult.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

Toilets in both museums are free for ticket holders.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit