Diocesan Museum of Palermo

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

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

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

After the Second World War, in 1952, the museum was renewed with the aim of also exhibiting items that survived the bombings.

In 1972 the museum was reopened with a third arrangement; the rooms were enriched with artistic products from churches where there were insufficient security measures. The current setup, designed by the Superintendency for the Cultural Heritage of Palermo, in rooms restored according to the project by architect 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).