Museo Diotti

About the museum

The Museo Diotti, open to the public since 2007, is housed in an old palazzo that belonged to the painter Giuseppe Diotti (1779–1846). Diotti returned to live permanently in Casalmaggiore in the last phase of his career, after thirty years at the head of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo: in 1837 he bought the palazzo, entrusted its reconstruction to the architect Fermo Zuccari and set up his studio there. Here he produced his last works, including the large “Giuramento di Pontida”, left unfinished and now displayed in the council chamber of the Comune.

The museum restores the appearance of a private home and is both a 19th-century picture gallery and a house museum: the eight rooms of the piano nobile recreate the artist’s studio and working method, from his years of study in Rome to the preparatory drawings for frescoes and the works of his maturity. Alongside Diotti are, among others, Marcantonio Ghislina, Francesco Antonio Chiozzi, Paolo Troubetzkoy and Amedeo Bocchi.

The route continues with the Galleria d’arte moderna, devoted to local and Lombard artists of the 20th century and to contemporary artists, and with reconstructions of the studios of the painters Goliardo Padova and Palmiro Vezzoni and of the sculptor Ercole Priori. Nine multimedia stations allow Diotti to welcome visitors and tell his life story; a separate section, the Scuola di disegno “Bottoli” in Palazzo Martinelli, can be visited only on special occasions. It is a civic museum, recognized by the Lombardy Region, and participates in the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia.

Highlights

• House-studio of Giuseppe Diotti, with the eight rooms of the piano nobile
• Gallery of modern art with local and Lombard artists of the 20th century
• Reconstructed studios of Goliardo Padova, Palmiro Vezzoni and Ercole Priori
• Nine multimedia stations with Diotti as narrator
• Museum without architectural barriers, with a garden
• Combined ticket with the Museo del Bijou

Permanent exhibitions

• Casa-atelier di Giuseppe Diotti e pinacoteca dell'Ottocento – Eight rooms of the piano nobile with paintings, preparatory drawings and works by Diotti and artists of the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Galleria d'arte moderna e percorso degli atelier – Works by local and Lombard artists of the 20th century and reconstructed studios of Goliardo Padova, Palmiro Vezzoni and Ercole Priori.

Founded

2007

Operated by

Comune di Casalmaggiore

Visitors per year

approx. 6,580

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month (#domenicalmuseo).

The single ticket covers the museum and temporary exhibitions. Free admission also for school groups, holders of the annual museum pass and of the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia, and ICOM members.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• 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

According to the museum, it is completely free of architectural barriers and has protected outdoor spaces; access to the “Farmacia storica” room is only possible during guided tours and events. Dogs are admitted only in the courtyard and the garden.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The museum offers an educational program with workshops for schools and families.

Getting there & parking

Motorway exits: Parma (A1), Mantua (A22), Cremona (A21). The Po and the embankment can be reached on foot from the museum along via Romani; the Infopoint in Piazza Garibaldi (Pro Loco) is a short distance away.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum bookshop; garden with a summer film series.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit