Diocesan museum of Ascoli Piceno, Italy

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Diocesan Museum, Ascoli Piceno, Italy

The museum is in one wing of the ecclesiastical palace, next to the city’s Pinacoteca and the state archaeological museum. It opened in 1961, when Bishop Marcello Morgante created it to bring together and protect the diocese’s art.

The collection spans about 200 square meters and seven rooms. It shows wooden and stone sculptures, paintings on canvas and wood, silver objects, and sacred vestments. Many works come from Ascoli’s own workshops, which flourished in the 1400s, and there are also important Florentine pieces from the 16th century. The items range from the 13th century to today.

Highlights include:
- A silver statue of the patron saint of Ascoli, in bishop’s robes, made in 1482 and about 152 cm tall.
- A gold-plated silver arm reliquary of Saint Emygdius (about 87 cm high) with a relic.
- A 180 cm embossed silver crosier donated by Cardinal Bernerio, a Renaissance piece likely connected to Giorgio Vasari, with a Christ Child blessing and coats of arms for Bernerio and the city.

The beheading stone and other sacred objects are also part of Ascoli’s religious heritage. The museum had around 2,000 visitors in 2018.