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House museum on the piano nobile of Palazzo Torre Pirajno with about 5,000 Sicilian and Campanian majolica tiles from the 15th to the early 20th century.
October 10, 2026 – November 15, 2026
Around fifty watercolours by Fabrizio Fiorentino are displayed in the house museum among the collections of antique majolica, as part of the Le Vie dei Tesori festival.
The museum was born from the passion of Pio Mellina, who as a young man began collecting majolica tiles and later arranged them in the house where he lives. It is housed on the piano nobile of Palazzo Torre Pirajno, a building from the late 16th or early 17th century in the Kalsa quarter, near the Fontana del Genio. The route opened to the public in December 2008.
In the early 20th century the piano nobile of the palazzo had been divided into several dwellings. Over time the adjoining parts were repurchased and restored, and the route expanded from a few rooms to about ten furnished rooms, with period floors and frescoes.
The collection comprises about 5,000 floor and wall tiles, Sicilian and Campanian, dating from the 15th to the early 20th century, arranged by area of production and by period. Alongside the tiles, smaller collections of domestic objects are displayed, including antique toys, terracotta moulds, tin boxes and period stationery. The museum, run by a cultural association, also has a conservation and restoration workshop.
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5children aged 8 to 12 |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 7 · Free under 8; reduced for children aged 8 to 12. |
Full-price ticket for those aged 13 and over. The private closed-door visit costs €200 plus €15 per person. Online purchase is recommended, but tickets can also be bought on site. Rates and times may change.
The museum is on the first floor of a protected private residence and can only be reached by a marble staircase, with no lift or stairlift; the entrance is not accessible to people with reduced mobility. Staff provide preliminary information and assistance.
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
Palermo Centrale · 3-min walk
From Stazione Centrale the museum is about 200 m away: from piazza Giulio Cesare you reach via Roma and then via Giuseppe Garibaldi. Bus timetables and tram information are on the AMAT website.
Paid parking · 50 m to the entrance
Autorimessa Aiutamicristo in via Giuseppe Garibaldi 41 (about 50 m away, paid, covered and supervised); other car parks 300–700 m away, including Parcheggio Lion NH Lincoln and Garage Magione.
The historic centre is subject to a ZTL (limited traffic zone) with hours that vary by season and day. The museum is on the piano nobile of Palazzo Torre Pirajno, Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 11: ring the bell and go up.
Get directionsThe whole museum is air-conditioned.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Video recording is prohibited; one amateur photo per room visited is allowed. |
| Good to know | The visit lasts about an hour and is accompanied by a guide in Italian or English. No animals are admitted, dogs included. Online booking is recommended. |
