Museo Pinacoteca San Francesco

Housed in a former Franciscan convent, the museum displays paintings and sacred furnishings from the 14th to the 18th century in the loggias of the 15th-century cloister.

Opening hoursAdmission €11

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About the museum

The Museo Pinacoteca San Francesco occupies the former premises of the Franciscan convent of the same name, a short walk from the Porta del Paese (Porta San Francesco), within the first city wall of the City of San Marino. The exhibition fills the stacked loggias of the small 15th-century cloister. Opened in 1966, the museum has a section of sacred art and a picture gallery and presents the most significant items of the artistic heritage of the convent and of other Franciscan churches: panel and canvas paintings, a precious fresco, furnishings, liturgical objects and vestments from the 14th to the 18th century.

The church and convent were built from 1351 and completed around 1400, after the move from Murata. In the upper loggia, devoted to the paintings, are two altarpieces by Girolamo Marchesi da Cotignola (1512 and 1540), one of which includes one of the oldest views of Monte Titano and one of the first ideal depictions of San Marino holding up the city; two gold-ground panels attributed to Niccolò di Liberatore, known as l’Alunno; and a large panel by Timoteo Viti.

The lower loggia houses liturgical objects, including a silver censer and incense boat attributed to the San Marino goldsmith Antonio Fabbri, and the late-Gothic fresco of the Adoration of the Magi attributed to Bitino da Faenza (1430–1437), one of the oldest artworks in the Republic. On the first floor, two rooms display sculptures and paintings donated by the artist Emilio Ambron.

Highlights

Two altarpieces by Girolamo Marchesi da Cotignola with ancient images of Monte Titano and San Marino
Gold-ground panels attributed to Niccolò di Liberatore, known as l’Alunno, and a panel by Timoteo Viti
Late-Gothic fresco of the Adoration of the Magi attributed to Bitino da Faenza (1430–1437)
Censer and incense boat in silver attributed to Antonio Fabbri
Rooms with works donated by Emilio Ambron
Exhibition in the loggias of the 15th-century cloister

Permanent exhibitions

Loggia superiore: la quadreria – Paintings among the Republic’s most prized works, including the altarpieces by Girolamo Marchesi da Cotignola and panels by l’Alunno and Timoteo Viti.
Loggia inferiore: arte sacra – Silver liturgical objects and the 15th-century fresco of the Adoration of the Magi.
Opere di Emilio Ambron – Two first-floor rooms with sculptures and paintings from the first half of the 20th century, donated by the artist.

Founded: 1966
Operated by: Repubblica di San Marino – Istituti Culturali (Musei di Stato)

Admission & discounts

Adults	€11
Reduced	€8Groups of more than 25 people, over-65s, university students with student card
Children & teens	freefree up to age 18 · Free admission for children and young people up to the age of 18.
Seniors	€8Pass Ridotto ticket for over-65s.
Visitors with disabilities	freecompanion free · Free admission for visitors with disabilities who are not self-sufficient, and for one companion.
Students & apprentices	€8Pass Ridotto ticket for university students with student card.
Groups (26+ people)	€8 per personPass Ridotto ticket for groups of more than 25 people, per person.
Biglietto Unico Ultima Fascia	€5Sold only in person at the museum ticket desks shortly before closing; valid until the end of the day.

Free admission: 5 February, 7 July, 3 September, 27 September and European Heritage Day (according to the annual calendar)

The Pass Intero (full price, €11) and Pass Ridotto (reduced, €8) tickets are valid for all Musei di Stato (State Museums): Prima Torre, Seconda Torre, Palazzo Pubblico (when open to visitors), Museo di Stato, Museo Pinacoteca San Francesco, Galleria Nazionale and Museo del Francobollo e della Moneta. Admission is also free for school groups, teachers with a certificate form, ICOM members and journalists with a press card.