Museo Diocesano di Massa
Diocesan museum on the piano nobile of the former Episcopal Palace in Massa, with sacred art from the churches of the diocese and the cathedral.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was founded at the wish of Bishop Eugenio Binini, who assigned the piano nobile of the former episcopal residence to museum use. The first section, with two rooms devoted to the Cathedral Treasury, opened in 2003; in 2006 the sections with works from the churches of the diocese were also opened. The display was preceded by a cataloguing campaign and major restorations, financed with state and regional contributions.
The site is a palace in the historic center of Massa, built by Prince Alberico I Cybo Malaspina for the younger sons of the family. After years of neglect in the Napoleonic period, in 1822 Duchess Maria Beatrice d’Este had it restored and gave it to the first bishop of the new diocese, Francesco Maria Zoppi. It was the residence of the bishops until 1970 and, after a long restoration completed at the end of the 1990s, it became the seat of the museum and the diocesan historical archive.
The museum has no collection of its own in the strict sense: it mainly displays works from parishes, especially those that can no longer be kept in their original churches. The main route revolves around several works permanently on show, among them pieces by Iacopo della Quercia, Felice Palma, Francesco Marti and Domenico Fiasella, and includes a section on the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Francis with paintings and liturgical furnishings, as well as sculptures, paintings, goldwork and textiles.
Highlights
- Works by Iacopo della Quercia, including the statue of Saint Leonard
- Section on the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Francis with the Cathedral Treasury
- Sculptures, paintings, goldwork and textiles from the churches of the diocese
- Piano nobile of the former Episcopal Palace of the Cybo Malaspina
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso espositivo del Museo Diocesano – Sculpture, painting, goldwork and textiles from the churches of the diocese, with a section devoted to the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Francis.
- Founded
- 2003
- Operated by
- Diocesi di Massa Carrara-Pontremoli
- Visitors per year
- approx. 1,836
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The museum offers educational routes for schools of every level, each with a workshop. |
