MUSEO DIOCESANO DI BRESCIA

Located in the heart of Brescia's historic centre, within the St Joseph's Monastic Complex dating back to the 16th century, the museum is characterised by a inclusive and pioneering on the subject of accessibility. Thanks to its ability to respond to the needs of different audiences, the facility has established itself as a model of excellence in the Brescian and national museum scene.

Highlights: Masterpieces and Applied Arts

The exhibition tour starts on the first floor, where paintings on canvas and panel, sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, Orthodox icons and precious silverware are kept. Among the masterpieces in the picture gallery are the names of great masters such as Moretto, Romanino, Tintoretto, Celesti, Pittoni and the Titian's workshop.

This section also includes the collections of applied arts, including a fine selection of liturgical fabrics from the entire diocese. These vestments, made between the 15th and 20th century in precious materials such as satin, velvet, damask and silk (many of them of Venetian and French manufacture), represent a testimony of excellence of high textile craftsmanship. To ensure the correct preservation of the artefacts, the selection on display is renewed annually.

Russian silverware, jewellery and icons

The section dedicated to’Silverware and Jewellery collects liturgical objects dating from the 12th to the 19th century, including chalices, reliquaries and processional crosses. On display are 67 pieces made of gold, silver, brass and tin, many of them born from the know-how of the local workshops.

The museum also boasts a collection of orthodox icons unique in Italy: 67 exemplars, often rare or unique, created between the 17th and 20th centuries. The collection documents the evolution of Russian art from Byzantine-style hieraticism to the influences of the 17th-century Liturgical Reformation.

Pope Paul VI and the Hypogea Hall

Significant space is dedicated to Pope Paul VI, where personal items of the Brescian pontiff - such as the zucchetto, papal robe and episcopal ring - as well as commemorative medals and a copy of the coronation tiara.

The itinerary ends in the Hypogea Hall, downstairs, which houses one of the collections of illuminated codices most important in northern Italy. Here, 50 ancient manuscripts (including missals, breviaries and antiphonaries) are displayed next to digital workstations allowing virtual consultation, combining historical preservation and technological innovation.