Museo diocesano e cripta di San Rufino
The cathedral museum of Assisi occupies the basement of the Palazzo dei Canonici and includes the crypt and the 11th-century cloister of the Ugonian basilica.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was founded in 1941 beside the cathedral of San Rufino, patron saint of Assisi, with the idea of gathering works and sacred furnishings from the church and from the oratories of the city's confraternities. The project dated back sixteen years earlier, when Canon Sigismondo Spagnoli proposed arranging the archive and setting up an art collection. For many decades the collection could only be visited on request; from 1995 it was open regularly from April to October, and from 2003 all year round.
After major restoration works in the basement of the Palazzo dei Canonici and in the cloister, the museum reopened on 15 April 2006 in a new location and with a new display. The route spreads over two levels and includes the 11th-century Romanesque crypt, the cloister of the Canons and several rooms that show the layering of the buildings that rose on the site from the 2nd century BC. The crypt, the cloister and the bell tower are the surviving parts of the ancient Ugonian basilica.
The collections include archaeological finds, paintings and furnishings from the cathedral, from confraternity oratories and from suppressed parishes, as well as the collection donated to the diocese by the American art historian Frederick Mason Perkins. Among the best-known pieces are the Roman sarcophagus with the myth of Selene and Endymion, kept in the crypt, the aedicule by Matteo da Gualdo and the works in the room dedicated to Nicolò di Liberatore, known as l'Alunno.
Highlights
- Romanesque crypt of San Rufino with a 3rd-century Roman sarcophagus
- 11th-century Canons' cloister with a Roman well
- Perkins room with Saint Catherine by Plautilla Nelli
- Aedicule by Matteo da Gualdo and works by l'Alunno
- Archaeological room and Roman terracing
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso espositivo dei Sotterranei – The route passes the Corridoio Doni, the rooms of l'Alunno and of the Diocese, the Perkins room, the archaeological room, the crypt and the 11th-century cloister.
- Founded
- 1941
- Visitors per year
- approx. 45,820
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3Reduction “A” (€3): groups of more than 10 people, individuals over 60 and aged 14 to 18, university students, holders of a ticket for another museum of the Rete Ecclesiastica Umbra, members of AMEI, priests and religious, teachers, military personnel and police, staff of museums and heritage authorities, escorts of people with disabilities, residents of the diocese |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 6 · Young people aged 8 to 13: reduction “B” (€2); groups of more than 25 people: €2. Free admission for children under 7 accompanied by an adult. |
| Seniors | €3Individuals over 60 (reduction “A”). |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities; the escort pays the reduced ticket “A”. |
| Students & apprentices | €3University students with a university document (reduction “A”). |
| Groups (11+ people) | €3 per personGroups of more than 10 people: €3; groups of more than 25 people: €2. Guided tour of the museum and the cathedral: €5 per person for groups of more than 10 people, €60 flat rate for groups of fewer than 10. |
| Bell tower | €2Free for children up to 10, residents of the Comune di Assisi and people with disabilities. |
| Combined ticket bell tower + museum | €5 |
Free admission also for journalists, licensed tour guides, group escorts, teachers with their school class, and residents of the Comune di Assisi.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- 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 entrance for people with disabilities and for pushchairs is at Piazza San Rufino 3, in the Palazzo dei Canonici. There is a lift, ramps and accessible toilets.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
The educational services offer guided tours, themed routes, workshops and activities for schools, adults and families; booking at least 15 days in advance (075 924 4237).
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
The bookshop offers guides, reproductions, souvenirs, fair-trade products and a corner for children and young people.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours for groups by booking, to be requested at least 7 days in advance, in Italian, English and French. The bell tower has its own opening hours and remains closed in bad weather. |
