Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina (MuMe): A Journey Through Art, History, and Resilience

The Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina (MuMe) is far more than an art gallery — it is a treasure chest of memory, preserving the artistic and historical soul of a city that, despite devastating earthquakes and wars, has never lost its cultural identity.

The museum stands today as a symbol of rebirth and resilience, housing masterpieces that miraculously survived the 1908 earthquake and the World War II bombings, offering a complete overview of Sicilian art from the 12th to the 19th century.

From Ruins to Renaissance

The origins of the museum trace back to the Civic Peloritano Museum, founded in 1890, which gathered works from churches and monasteries across the province of Messina.

When the earthquake of 1908 reduced the city to rubble, most of its artistic heritage was destroyed or buried. In the aftermath, a heroic rescue mission began: art historians and conservators worked tirelessly to recover and catalog the surviving works, saving invaluable fragments of the city’s cultural memory.

These rescued treasures became the core of the new National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art, established in 1914.

For decades, the collection was housed in a former textile factory — a temporary yet vital refuge — until, in 2017, it found its permanent home in a modern, purpose-built complex along Viale della Libertà.

Today, the MuMe’s 17,000-square-meter exhibition space combines architectural elegance with a rational, immersive layout that enhances the beauty and storytelling of each piece.

Masterpieces of Global Fame and Hidden Treasures

The MuMe is world-renowned for its extraordinary works by Antonello da Messina and Caravaggio, two towering figures of Italian art.

🎨 Antonello da Messina

The museum preserves two of his most significant works:

• The “Polyptych of Saint Gregory”, an outstanding example of early Renaissance art in Sicily.
• The “Double-Sided Panel”, featuring on one side a poignant Christ in Pietà and on the other a Madonna and Child with a Franciscan in Adoration. This rare piece reveals Antonello’s unparalleled mastery in emotional depth and technical precision.

🕯️ Caravaggio

During his stay in Messina, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio produced two monumental canvases now among the museum’s greatest treasures:

• The “Raising of Lazarus”,

• And the “Adoration of the Shepherds”.

  Both paintings embody the intense drama and chiaroscuro that define Caravaggio’s revolutionary style, capturing humanity and spirituality in their most raw and powerful form.

Beyond these masterpieces, the MuMe offers a rich panorama of Sicilian art:

• Wooden and marble sculptures, including the Madonna del Graffeo by Girolamo Alibrandi and Renaissance works by Antonello Gagini.
• Paintings by artists such as Mattia Preti and Polidoro da Caravaggio (The Dead Christ with Mary Magdalene).
• Decorative arts collections, with exquisite silverware, ceramics, and majolica, telling the story of Sicilian craftsmanship and daily life through the centuries.

Visitor Information

📍 Address: Viale della Libertà, 465 – 98121 Messina (ME)

📞 Phone: +39 090 361292

📧 Email: [email protected]

Opening Hours

• Monday: Closed
• Tuesday–Saturday: 09:00 – 19:00 (last entry 18:00)
• Sunday and public holidays: 09:00 – 13:30 (last entry 12:30)

Tickets

🎟️ Full ticket: €9.00

🎟️ Reduced ticket: €4.50 (EU citizens aged 18–25 and certified teachers)

🎟️ Free admission: under 18s, every first Sunday of the month, and on select national holidays

Visiting the MuMe means embarking on a journey through time, rediscovering not only artistic masterpieces but also the enduring spirit of Messina — a city that, through its art, continues to tell the story of survival, creativity, and rebirth.

Cover photo credits: Derbrauni, licensed by CC BY 4.0