• Art & Culture

The Diocesan Museum of Pavia

Where
Duomo di Pavia
Piazza Duomo Pavia

The opening to the public of the ancient underground spaces, where elements from the early medieval Santa Maria del Popolo cathedral coexist with reinforced concrete structures from the 1930s, has made an important archaeological, cultural, and spiritual asset of the city accessible.

The museum is located in the heart of the city of Pavia, framed by the square and the cathedral. The museum’s path is characterized by a clear symbolic value. The visit to the Diocesan Museum begins with the ancient sarcophagus, placed outside the entrance, and continues through the dimness of the underground rooms before returning to the light through two circular openings in the cathedral’s floor that allow one to contemplate the luminosity descending along the great dome, symbolizing the divine presence. From the Romanesque womb to Renaissance light: a birth takes place, which is also the birth of a community from its spiritual and historical roots.

From the ancient Santa Maria del Popolo, three restored and valuable sections of floor mosaics are visible (preserved in the Civic Museums of the Visconti Castle), along with numerous capitals, the frieze of the old portal leading to the crypt, and significant fragments of frescoes. In this evocative site, the narrative guides the visitor to discover the artistic quality and liturgical significance of some works from the diocesan collection. A key piece is the magnificent carved ivory crook from the 13th century, accompanied by a splendid illuminated manuscript from the 15th century, richly decorated and belonging to the Diocesan Archive, along with a wooden lunette depicting the Madonna of Mercy (15th-16th century) recently restored by the Studio Parma of Milan and returned to its former splendor for the occasion.

The exhibition of liturgical garments completes a journey where sculptures, goldsmith works, reliquaries, and monstrances converge, representing a cultural and religious testament of the Pavia diocesan territory.

Through the museum, the Diocese of Pavia has crafted a project grounded in the educational and cultural value of a place with unique historical, artistic, and architectural elements, aiming to involve students, art enthusiasts, citizens, and local associations in active participation through new cultural, artistic, and spiritual experiences.


Opening hours

Saturday 2:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | 2:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Monday to Friday by appointment for groups and schools
Admission to the museum is free

Services
A free guided tour service is available on-site


Other links

Facebook
Museo Diocesano di Pavia
Take me here: The Diocesan Museum of Pavia

Places

Cathedral of Pavia

The most impressive church in Pavia to whose design Leonardo Da Vinci contributed
  • Religious Tourism
Cathedral of Pavia
22 mt

Following history’s trails. Who is the Sun King?

  • Art & Culture
Sun King’s equestrian statue, Monuments Pavia
32 mt

Palazzo del Broletto

The old town hall of Pavia, which housed the institution until 1875
  • Art & Culture
Palazzo del Broletto
103 mt

Arnaboldi Dome

The Arnaboldi Gallery is a commercial gallery that, in the form of a covered pedestrian street, connects Strada Nuova to Piazza del Lino.
  • Art & Culture
Arnaboldi Dome
200 mt

Church Of Saint Giovanni Domnarum

  • Art & Culture
Church Of Saint Giovanni Domnarum
201 mt

Church of Saint Teodoro - Pavia

The church was built in the second half of the 12th century to house the remains of Saint Theodore
  • Religious Tourism
Church of Saint Teodoro - Pavia
237 mt

Chiesa di S. Maria del Carmine

  • Religious Tourism
S. M. Del Carmine – Pavia
284 mt

University Library of Pavia

  • Art & Culture
Salone Teresiano
325 mt

From Pavia to Abbiategrasso

  • Cycle Tourism
From Pavia to Abbiategrasso
358 mt

Aula Magna of the University of Pavia

  • Art & Culture
Aula Magna of the University of Pavia
365 mt

Kosmos Natural History Museum

Un museo antico con collezioni scientifiche di altissimo valore, costituito a scopo didattico da Lazzaro Spallanzani nel 1771
  • Art & Culture
Kosmos Natural History Museum
371 mt

Basilica of San Michele Maggiore

  • Art & Culture
Basilica of San Michele Maggiore
373 mt

Ponte Coperto Bridge

  • Art & Culture
Ponte coperto di Pavia (Ph: I Mille)
388 mt

Camillo Golgi Museum

The museum preserves the historical and scientific heritage of the former Institute of General Pathology of Pavia
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Camillo Golgi  Museum
411 mt

Pavia University Hisotry Museum

  • Art & Culture
Pavia University Hisotry Museum
422 mt

Palazzo Bottigella Gandini

Hidden among Pavia’s historic buildings is Palazzo Bottigella-Gandini, restored and now a space for contemporary art exhibitions
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Pavia
466 mt

Fraschini theatre

  • Art & Culture
Teatro Fraschini Pavia
492 mt

Church of Saint Francesco

The church of Saint Francesco in Pavia shows a clear separation between the Romanesque architecture and the late Gothic
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Church of Saint Francesco
582 mt

Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro

  • Religious Tourism
Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro
748 mt

Civic Museums of Pavia

Inside the magnificent castle built by Galeazzo Visconti between 1360 and 1365
  • Art & Culture
Civic Museums of Pavia
786 mt

Events

The miserable Citade. Pavia besieged 1522-1527

Santa Maria Gualtieri
Piazza della Vittoria, Pavia
12/04/2025 - 28/09/2025
  • Art & Culture
The miserable Citade. Pavia besieged 1522-1527
159 mt

Milano Sanremo 2025

Strade della provincia di Pavia
Pavia (PV)
21/03/2025 - 22/03/2025
  • Sport
Milano Sanremo 2025
171 mt

Pavia 1525. An epochal battle in a changing world

Università di Pavia e Collegi storici pavesi
Corso Strada Nuova 65 Pavia
07/04/2025 - 09/04/2025
  • Art & Culture
Pavia 1525. An epochal battle in a changing world
425 mt

The Battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525: the times, the places, the men

Castello Visconteo
Viale XI Febbraio, 35, Pavia
15/02/2025 - 29/12/2025
  • Art & Culture
The Battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525: the times, the places, the men
733 mt

Pavia 1525: the city, the arts, the battle

Castello Visconteo
Viale XI Febbraio, 35, Pavia
18/09/2025 - 11/01/2026
  • Art & Culture
arazzi della battaglia di Pavia
733 mt

71th INTERNATIONAL RAID PAVIA – VENEZIA 2nd JUNE 2024

Pavia Lungo Ticino Sforza
31/05/2025 - 02/06/2025
  • Sport
71th INTERNATIONAL RAID PAVIA – VENEZIA 2nd JUNE 2024
762 mt

Celebrations of the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Pavia 1525/2025

Castello Visconteo
Pavia
21/02/2025 - 11/01/2026
  • Art & Culture
Celebrations of the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Pavia 1525/2025
801 mt

Where to sleep

LE STANZE DEL CARDINALE

Pavia
LE STANZE DEL CARDINALE
46 mt

CASA CATERINA

Pavia
CASA CATERINA
49 mt

LE STANZE DEL CARDINALE STUDIO

Pavia
LE STANZE DEL CARDINALE STUDIO
63 mt

CAVOUR 14 DI LIVING RENT SRL

Pavia
CAVOUR 14 DI LIVING RENT SRL
126 mt

CASTELLANI

Pavia
CASTELLANI
131 mt

CASA DI MARTA

Pavia
CASA DI MARTA
188 mt

ARNABOLDI PALACE

Pavia
ARNABOLDI PALACE
190 mt

VITTORIA SUITE

Pavia
VITTORIA SUITE
214 mt

GALLERIA ARNABOLDI MAISON D'HOTES

Pavia
GALLERIA ARNABOLDI MAISON D'HOTES
219 mt

30CAVOUR LUXURY SUITES AMETISTA

Pavia
30CAVOUR LUXURY SUITES AMETISTA
255 mt

30CAVOUR LUXURY SUITES NETTUNO

Pavia
30CAVOUR LUXURY SUITES NETTUNO
255 mt

LIVING RENT SRL - SIRO COMI

Pavia
LIVING RENT SRL - SIRO COMI
265 mt

L'ANGOLO AL PONTE

Pavia
L'ANGOLO AL PONTE
311 mt

MAISON MARINA

Pavia
MAISON MARINA
360 mt

CASA ALESSIA

Pavia
CASA ALESSIA
362 mt

SAN MICHELE

Pavia
SAN MICHELE
397 mt

VILLA GLORI DI LIVING RENT SRL

Pavia
VILLA GLORI DI LIVING RENT SRL
412 mt

CASA VACANZA CORSO GARIBALDI 15

Pavia
CASA VACANZA CORSO GARIBALDI 15
428 mt

PAVIA CENTRO

Pavia
PAVIA CENTRO
521 mt

CAMERECAFFE' DI FUMAGALLI LORENZA

Pavia
CAMERECAFFE' DI FUMAGALLI LORENZA
562 mt