National Museum of St. Matthew

Medieval ceramics, Pisan paintings, and important archaeological finds:

At the San Matteo National Museum, visitors embark on a fascinating journey through the centuries. It is the city’s most important museum of painting and sculpture and is located in the center of Pisa, in a former monastery on the banks of the Arno.

The exhibition is notable above all for the variety and significance of the works on display. In addition to remarkable 12th- and 13th-century paintings from the Pisa region, it also features an exceptional collection of ceramic vases, one of the largest in the Mediterranean region.

Art, ceramics, commercial power

One of the museum’s highlights is the 14th-century seven-panel polyptych of Saint Catherine of Alexandria; it is considered the largest and most complex work by the Sienese artist Simone Martini. The collection of medieval Pisan and Islamic ceramics is also particularly impressive: it bears witness to the Maritime Republic’s trade in the Mediterranean region during the Golden Age of the 11th century.

Contemporary Artworks Worth Seeing

The history of Pisa in antiquity is documented by spectacular archaeological finds, such as a 5th-century sarcophagus depicting the Good Shepherd. The museum also houses a collection of coins dating from the 13th to the 19th century, including trade coins and seals from the city of Pisa and other Italian towns.