Museo Piersanti

18th-century house museum in the Palazzo Piersanti in Matelica, with furnishings, papal memorabilia and archaeological collections; reopened in December 2025.

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About the museum

The museum grew out of the furnishings of Palazzo Piersanti, assembled by Venanzio Filippo Piersanti (Matelica 1688 – Rome 1761), who in 1718 was appointed by Pope Clement XI as master of ceremonies of the Papal Chapel. Over the course of his career he collected artistic furnishings and had a private chapel built in the family palace; on his death the collection passed to his brothers and was preserved and enriched by his heirs.

The palace, formed from the union of several buildings of different periods, the first of which probably dates back to the 16th century, was bought by the Piersanti family in 1728, who had works carried out there, including a new portal with coat of arms, the chapel and the decoration of the ceilings. At the beginning of the 20th century Teresa Capeci Piersanti donated the palace with all its artistic furnishings to the Chapter and the Cathedral Parish, in accordance with the wishes of her husband, Marquis Filippo Piersanti, the last heir of the family and the first mayor of Matelica after Italian unification.

The museum, damaged by the 2016 earthquake, has been restored and reopened on 21 December 2025. Alongside the historic rooms (private chapel, kitchen, bedroom, papal memorabilia), it includes the Pettinelli collection of drawings and two archaeological collections, the Bigiaretti collection and that of V. F. Piersanti and family. Some of the donated works are not yet on display, pending completion of the second floor.

Highlights

18th-century rooms with private chapel, kitchen and bedroom
Papal memorabilia of Venanzio Filippo Piersanti
Bigiaretti archaeological collection
Pettinelli collection of drawings
Furnishings, paintings and tapestries of the palace