• Art & Culture

Civic Museums of Pavia

Inside the magnificent castle built by Galeazzo Visconti between 1360 and 1365

Where
Viale XI Febbraio, 35, Pavia
Contacts
+39 0382 399770
Official site

D

After World War II, the Visconti Castle became the headquarters of the Civic Museums of Pavia. Located within the rooms of the Visconti Castle, the Civic Museums of Pavia house a vast collection of materials that tell the history of the city, from the Roman era to the 19th century.

The museum consists of the following sections:

  • Archaeological Section
  • Lombard Section
  • Medieval and Renaissance Section
  • Malaspina Art Gallery
  • Wooden Model of the Cathedral Room
  • 17th-18th Century Art Gallery
  • 19th Century Art Gallery and Morone Collection
  • Museum of the Risorgimento
  • Robecchi Bricchetti Museum

THE BATTLE OF PAVIA

The room is dedicated to the famous Battle of Pavia, which marked the fate of modern Europe. It was fought in the park of the Visconti Castle on February 24, 1525, between the troops of Emperor Charles V and those of King Francis I of France.

In addition to admiring several iconographic testimonies related to this important historical event, such as prints and paintings depicting military operations or the involved figures, visitors can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the time through multimedia content - videos and touchscreens - created in 2015 during a highly successful exhibition, which displayed one of the seven tapestries of the Battle of Pavia preserved at the Capodimonte Museum.

During the spring and summer months, beautiful tours are organized to the top of the castle tower, where visitors can admire Pavia from above.


Opening hours

  • MUSEUM ROOMS AND EXHIBITIONS
    Monday to Friday: 14:00 - 18:00 (closed on Tuesdays).
    Group and school bookings for entry between 10:00 - 14:00 can be made by emailing museicivici@comune.pv.it
    Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays: 10:00 - 18:00

    The ticket office closes at 17:30.

    The Library and Photo Archive are closed on national and local holidays, during the second and third weeks of August, and on school holiday closure days during the Christmas period.

    The Civic Museums are closed on December 24, 25, 26, 31, January 1, and August 15.

    For information on open sections, see Notes.

    LIBRARY AND PHOTO ARCHIVE
    By appointment only, by emailing museicivici@comune.pv.it

    Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 09:00 - 13:30
    Tuesday and Thursday: 14:30 - 17:00


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Places

Castle Visconteo of Pavia

  • Art & Culture
Castle Visconteo of Pavia
0 mt

Visconti Castle

At the start of the 20th century, Visconti Castle(PV) was acquired by the local municipality and has since been home to the civic museums
  • Tourism Accessible
Visconti Castle
17 mt

Archaeology museum and sala longobarda

  • Art & Culture
Archaeology Museum and Sala Longobarda
59 mt

Fraschini theatre

  • Art & Culture
Fraschini theatre
296 mt

Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro

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Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro
361 mt

Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro

  • Religious Tourism
Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro
400 mt

Basilica of Saint Pietro in Ciel d’Oro

  • Art & Culture
Basilica of Saint Pietro in Ciel d’Oro
400 mt

Aula Magna of the University of Pavia

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Aula Magna of the University of Pavia
466 mt

University Library of Pavia

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Salone Teresiano
475 mt

Church Of Saint Giovanni Domnarum

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San Giovanni Domnarum, cripta
632 mt

Palazzo Bottigella Gandini

Hidden among Pavia’s historic buildings is Palazzo Bottigella-Gandini, restored and now a space for contemporary art exhibitions
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Pavia
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The Plane Tree of the Pavia Botanical Garden

  • Active & Green
The Plane Tree of the Pavia Botanical Garden
663 mt

Botanical Gardens Pavia

L’Orto Botanico fu fondato alla fine del Settecento
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Orto Botanico
663 mt

Arnaboldi Dome

The Arnaboldi Gallery is a commercial gallery that, in the form of a covered pedestrian street, connects Strada Nuova to Piazza del Lino.
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Arnaboldi Dome
685 mt

Botanical gardens university of Pavia

  • Active & Green
Orto Botanico Università di Pavia, Giardini Pavia
695 mt

Kosmos Natural History Museum

An antique museum with a science collection of the highest value, collated for educational purposes by Lazzaro Spallanzani in 1771.
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Kosmos Natural History Museum
748 mt

Following history’s trails. Who is the Sun King?

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Sun King’s equestrian statue, Monuments Pavia
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Cathedral of Pavia

The most impressive church in Pavia to whose design Leonardo Da Vinci contributed
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Cathedral of Pavia
808 mt

Basilica of San Michele Maggiore

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Basilica of San Michele Maggiore
913 mt

Basilica of San Teodoro

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Basilica of San Teodoro
1.02 km

Events

The Battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525: the times, the places, the men

Castello Visconteo
Viale XI Febbraio, 35, Pavia
15/02/2025 - 29/12/2025
  • Art & Culture
The Battle of Pavia, February 24, 1525: the times, the places, the men
54 mt

Celebrations of the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Pavia 1525/2025

Castello Visconteo
Pavia
21/02/2025 - 31/12/2025
  • Art & Culture
Celebrations of the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Pavia 1525/2025
82 mt

Milano Sanremo 2025

Strade della provincia di Pavia
Pavia (PV)
21/03/2025 - 22/03/2025
  • Sport
Milano Sanremo 2025
623 mt

Historical Reenactment of the Battle of Pavia 1525-2025

Parco del Castello di Mirabello
Via Pietro Pavesi, 177 Pavia
21/02/2025 - 23/02/2025
  • Art & Culture
Battaglia di Pavia
3.38 km

Where to sleep

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CASA ELENA
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LA FINESTRA SUL CASTELLO

PAVIA
LA FINESTRA SUL CASTELLO
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LA ROTONDA 2

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LA ROTONDA 2
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LA ROTONDA
224 mt

BORGO CALVENZANO HOUSE

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LA CASA DEL TEATRO

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LA CASA DEL TEATRO
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CASA MARCONI

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CASA MARCONI
385 mt

CIEL D'ORO HOME

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CIEL D'ORO HOME
395 mt

CASA PETRARCA

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CASA PETRARCA
398 mt

CASA LINDA

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428 mt

LAB42

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LAB42
482 mt

CASA VACANZE TASSO 47

Pavia
CASA VACANZE TASSO 47
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LA CASA SUI TETTI

PAVIA
LA CASA SUI TETTI
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CALATAFIMI

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CALATAFIMI
553 mt

NEVEREYES

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NEVEREYES
554 mt

A CASA DI ENRICHETTA

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A CASA DI ENRICHETTA
564 mt

LA PREZIOSA

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LA PREZIOSA
576 mt

CASA ELEONORA

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CASA ELEONORA
582 mt

BANDELLO APARTMENT

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BANDELLO APARTMENT
582 mt