Museo de San Francisco
Sacred art museum in the church of a former Franciscan convent in Medina de Rioseco, with works by Juan de Juni and the monstrance by Arfe.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum occupies the church of the former Franciscan convent of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza, which no longer exists. The foundation was authorised by Pope Innocent VIII on 12 August 1491 and was sponsored by Fadrique Enríquez, 4th Admiral of Castile, and his wife Ana de Cabrera, who turned the high chapel into a family pantheon. The convent occupied a large plot outside the walls, reaching the bank of the Sequillo river; today only the church survives, a late Gothic building with a four-bay nave, ribbed vaults, a large transept and a dome over an octagonal lantern.
The works in the collection are spread across the chapels of the church and follow a script that is offered mainly as a guided tour with light and sound, although the church can also be visited in a traditional way. The itinerary covers the Franciscan Order with sculptures from the Sierra workshop, a 3D projection of the convent, objects related to the Admirals of Castile and their pantheon and, in the transept, a stone altarpiece by Miguel de Espinosa with Juan de Juni’s Penitent Saint Jerome.
The Villasante chapel houses silverware, with the 16th-century processional monstrance by Antonio de Arfe as its main piece. Another section is devoted to Hispano-Philippine ivories from the legacy of Archbishop Paino.
Highlights
- Penitent Saint Jerome by Juan de Juni in the stone altarpiece by Miguel de Espinosa
- Processional monstrance by Antonio de Arfe (16th century)
- Tombs and objects of the Admirals of Castile
- Hispano-Philippine ivories from the legacy of Archbishop Paino
- 3D projection of the reconstruction of the convent
- Guided visit with light and sound
Permanent exhibition
- Colección permanente en la iglesia del convento de San Francisco – Sculpture, altarpieces, silverware and Hispano-Philippine ivories spread across the chapels, with the Arfe monstrance and Juan de Juni’s Saint Jerome.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2People over 65, groups of more than 15 people, members of the Asociación de Amigos del Museo, holders of the Amigo del Patrimonio Histórico de Castilla y León card and young people aged 10 to 16. |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 9 · Free for children under 10 accompanied by an adult; ages 10 to 16, reduced rate. |
| Seniors | €2People over 65. |
| Groups (16+ people) | €2 per personReduced rate for groups of more than 15 people. |
| School admission (school groups, ages 4–16; includes guided visit) | €1 |
| Combined ticket for 4 monuments (Museo de Semana Santa, the churches of Santa María with the Capilla de los Benavente and of Santiago, and the Museo de San Francisco) | €9Groups of 20 or more people: €7 per person. |
Also free for unemployed people with accreditation and members of museum professional associations. Tickets can also be bought online. The ticket office opens 10 minutes before each visit.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Regular buses from Valladolid and Palencia.
Medina de Rioseco is 42 km from Valladolid via the A-6 and CL-602. The town’s tourist office is inside the museum.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided visit with light and sound; a traditional visit is also available. A school ticket is offered for activities for ages 4 to 16, and there are discounts for groups. Bookings and enquiries on 983 700 020. |
