Museo diocesano di Palermo

The Diocesan Museum of Palermo was opened in 1927 inside the Archiepiscopal Palace by Cardinal Archbishop Alessandro Lualdi (1904-1927).

Initially, the collection mainly consisted of sculptures that decorated the Cathedral..

At the museum, one could observe Renaissance and Baroque reliefs, as well as other artifacts from churches that were destroyed or no longer in use. This was supplemented by a significant loan of works from the National Museum of Palermo (now the Regional Gallery of Palazzo Abatellis) which included, among other things, paintings by Giorgio Vasari, Marco Pino, and Antonio Alberti known as il Barbalonga, the latter still on display today.

After World War II, in 1952, the museum was renovated with the aim of also displaying the assets that survived the bombings.

In 1972 the museum was reopened with a third layout, and the halls were enriched with artistic products from churches where there were insufficient security measures. The current layout, designed by the Superintendence of BB.CC.AA. of Palermo, in the environments restored according to the project by arch. Salvatore Forzisi and engineer Giuseppe Siragusa, was opened to the public on December 22, 2003, in the presence of Cardinal Archbishop Salvatore De Giorgi (1996-2007).