Opera del Duomo Museum: Description, History, Hours and Tickets

Are you planning to visit Tuscany and looking for more information about the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Pisa? You have come to the right place.

In this post we discover together the description of the Opera Museum, its history and the works preserved inside.

We will see together the treasure of the Cathedral, what are the hourswhen you can visit this museum, directionsto get there, and ticket prices to visit it.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Wait. Before we start with the article, a quick tip: you should know that to enter the Opera del Duomo Museum you will risk running into a long queue at the ticket office. In order to enter the attraction by skipping the line at the entrance without losing valuable time to visit Piazza Dei Miracoli, it is always recommended to purchase your ticket online. Click below to book your admission and enter inside the Opera del Duomo Museum of Pisa in an instant.

What is the the Opera del Duomo Museum in Pisa

Located in Piazza dei Miracoli next to the Leaning Tower, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo preserves the cathedral artifacts saved and restored after the devastating fire of 1595.

Here you can admire marble decorations, columns, capitals, important sculptural groups, fine inlays and the treasure of Pisa Cathedral, which includes vestments and liturgical objects.

The museum offers a tour illustrating the craftsmen who worked on the Cathedral’s construction site and offers a privileged view of the famous Leaning Tower.

Visit to the Opera del Duomo Museum: what to see

The museum’s multi-story layout also includes a terrace and courtyard that offer exclusive views of the Leaning Tower.

The tour begins with the Cathedral treasures recovered and restored after the 1595 fire.

At the entrance, there is the imposing door of San Ranieri, the work of Bonanno Pisano. The door currently visible in the Cathedral is a copy, placed after the fire.

The “Temple of Snow-white Marble” collects inlays, plutei, inlaid columns and bas-reliefs from the Cathedral, examples of the technical skill of Tuscan craftsmen.

The “Arrivals from overseas” space displays artifacts of Eastern and Byzantine influence, such as the large bronze basin with Islamic inscriptions.

The tour continues with several rooms devoted to statuary, including works by Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni, in the Gothic style with Byzantine influences.

One section is dedicated to the Bell Tower, with a 1:25 scale alabaster reproduction of the Leaning Tower, made in Volterra, and other artifacts from the Bell Tower.

On the upper floor is a fine collection of wood inlays from the Renaissance and post-Renaissance periods, mainly the work of Florentine craftsmen.

The exhibition concludes with the Cathedral Treasury, which includes sacred vestments and vestments, valuable objects for worship and ancient prayer books.

History of the Museum of the Opera del Duomo

The building that houses the museum was originally a residence of the Duomo monks and later housed the Diocesan Seminary. The facade is probably the work of Florentine craftsmen.

In 1784, the palace became the property of the collector Giovanni Rosini and was the seat of the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1887 it was again used as a monastery, this time for women, but the work carried out at that time has mostly been eliminated during recent restorations.

The museum was opened in 1986 to house the cathedral treasure. It was closed for restoration from 2015 to 2019, during which time the exhibition spaces were expanded and reorganized, and some artifacts were transferred to the nearby Museo delle Sinopie.

Useful information: schedules, prices, how to get there

Where it is located and how to get to the Opera del Duomo Museum

The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo is located in Piazza dei Miracoli (precisely Piazza del Duomo 23), next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

If arriving by train, from Pisa Centrale station follow this route for a quick and scenic route to Piazza dei Miracoli:

• Exit the station and cross Station Square.
• Continue straight to the traffic circle, then cross Vittorio Emanuele Square.
• Continue on Corso Italia to Via di Banchi.
• Cross the Middle Bridge and you will find Garibaldi Square on your right.
• Take Borgo Stretto and continue to Via Ulisse Dini, which will take you to Piazza dei Cavalieri.
• From Piazza dei Cavalieri, follow Via Corsica to Piazza Francesco Buonamici.
• Continue on Via Dei Mille to Piazza Felice Cavallotti, then turn right onto Via Santa Maria.
• Continue on Via Santa Maria to Piazza dei Miracoli, where you will find the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo near the Leaning Tower.

Hours of the Museum of the Opera del Duomo

The museum is open daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.

The best time to visit is lunchtime, when there is a lower attendance. Entry is possible up to 30 minutes before closing time.

Where to eat near the Opera del Duomo Museum

Here are some of the best trattorias near Miracle Square:

• Osteria La Toscana: Located in Piazzetta Ezio Tongiorgi, it offers a wide selection of local products and authentic or reinterpreted traditional Tuscan dishes.
• Osteria dei Cavalieri: Located in the historic center of Pisa, it offers a mix of authentic Tuscan cuisine and refined gastronomic offerings, with vegetarian options.
• Osteria in Domo: Near the Leaning Tower, offers traditional and revisited cuisine, with a varied menu that includes meat, fish, salads and freshly prepared sandwiches.

Where to sleep near the Opera del Duomo Museum

If you would like to stay overnight near the Pisa Opera Museum and enjoy a spectacular view of the Piazza dei Miracoli, here are some great options to consider:

• Residenza d’Epoca Relais I Miracoli: Located just 70 meters from the Leaning Tower, this historic residence offers a refined atmosphere and elegant rooms.
• Hotel Pisa Tower: About 150 meters from the Pisa Tower, this hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with views of the tower itself.
• Grand Hotel Duomo Pisa: Just a 2-minute walk from Piazza del Duomo and the Leaning Tower, this hotel offers a rooftop bar and rooftop terrace with city views.

These facilities are all located near Piazza dei Miracoli, providing easy access to Pisa’s main attractions.

Nearby attractions

Here is what to visit near the Opera del Duomo Museum in the beautiful Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa:

• Museum of Sinopias: Houses a valuable collection of sinopias, the preparatory drawings for the frescoes preserved in the Monumental Cemetery.
• The Leaning Tower: The city’s landmark monument, famous for its tilt.
• The Monumental Cemetery: Located north of Cathedral Square, it houses graves of prominent figures and important fresco cycles.

Museum of the Opera del Duomo tickets

Tickets to visit two monuments cost 7€, and also include a visit to the Cathedral, which is free but requires a ticket. Cumulative tickets vary between 10€ and 42€, depending on the monuments you wish to visit and whether you add a guided tour.

Conclusions

We have come to the end of this post on the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, one of the most visited attractions in the Piazza dei Miracoli (along with the Baptistery, the Duomo, the Camposanto, the Tower of Pisa and the Museo delle Sinopie).

We talked about the history of this museum, saw the treasure of Pisa Cathedral together, looked at restaurants to eat at and hotels to stay at. I showed you how to get there and how to buy tickets online.

If you need more information, please leave a comment below; if you would like to visit the Opera del Duomo Museum, please purchase your entrance ticket by skipping the ticket line at the ticket office.

Photo credits:

• Cover photo: Pic by Federigo Federighi via Wikipedia