Diocesan Museum and Chapter House

Diocesan Chapter Museum The Museo Diocesano e Capitolare collection is hosted in five rooms of the restructured Palazzo del Seminario Vescovile in the city center of Terni, near the cathedral. The palace, once the Diocesan Seminary premises, was built and frescoed under Cardinal Francesco Angelo Rapaccioli’s directions—mid 17th century—but unfortunately none of the original frescoes remain today. The palace also had its own independent role with respect to the nearby Bishop Palace to which, however, it was connected by a gallery—still visible today—with a coffered ceiling and frescoed walls. The Museo Diocesano hosts, in its rooms, several works of sacred art from churches, chapels, oratories, convents and monasteries in the Diocese territories. It is possible to admire paintings, altarpieces, plastic-form work and liturgical items testifying the vitality and artistic diversity in this territory. The mission of the Museo Diocesano e Capitolare has been to preserve, collect, exhibit and enhance the value of the historical, artistic and cultural heritage of the Diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia. Housed in the rooms of the palace, the exhibition is subdivided in two sections: the first section testifies the religious work of art production, commissioned by the Diocese during the period of time that goes from the 15th century to the 17th century; while the second section is dedicated to local contemporary artists. Among the works to be mentioned is the Madonna with Child and Saints Altarpiece of the Flemish artist Martin Stellaerth, the Circumcision, executed in 1560 by Livio Agresti, and the Lazarus Resurrection attributed to the Guercino workshop. A section of the Museum is dedicated to sacred contemporary art, and collects several painting works and sculptures executed by artists of international fame that have been commissioned by the Diocese in recent years. There will be the opening of a section dedicated to textiles and goldsmith production in the near future.