A journey through art and history: the city art gallery museum of Bettona

In the heart of Umbria, nestled among olive groves and enchanting landscapes, lies Bettona, an ancient Etruscan town that treasures a true cultural gem — the City Art Gallery Museum. This fascinating site offers visitors a captivating journey through the millennia-old history and artistic heritage of the region, displaying valuable collections across two historic venues: the 14th-century Palazzo del Podestà and the 19th-century Palazzo Biancalana.

The City Museum of Bettona is a shining example of how a small town can preserve and enhance a priceless heritage — the result of donations, recoveries, and archaeological discoveries that recount the story of a land that has served as a crossroads of civilizations since antiquity. The exhibition unfolds in two complementary sections: the Archaeological Section and the Art Gallery, offering a complete picture of Bettona’s past.

The Archaeological Section: Etruscan and Roman Roots

Located on the ground floor of Palazzo Biancalana, this section offers a plunge into the ancient origins of Bettona, once an important Etruscan settlement — the only one on the left bank of the Tiber River. Here, visitors can admire artifacts that testify to Etruscan and Roman presence in the area, including Etruscan terracotta decorations, black-glazed ceramics, funerary urns, and boundary cippi, all revealing the customs and beliefs of these civilizations. The Roman period is represented through inscriptions, seals, and sculptures from the late Hellenistic age, as well as marble works from imperial times that narrate the Romanization of the region. Among the most prized pieces are a marble head of Aphrodite from the mid-imperial age and a portrait of Emperor Domitian once exhibited prominently. A recent discovery — a monumental circular well from the late 15th century uncovered in Piazza Cavour — provides insight into the urban history of Bettona.

The Art Gallery: Renaissance Masterpieces and Beyond

The Municipal Art Gallery, located within the medieval Palazzo del Podestà and adjoining rooms of Palazzo Biancalana, houses an exceptional collection of artworks spanning from the 14th to the 19th century, with a special focus on the Umbrian School of the 15th and 16th centuries. The gallery contains around seventy works, including paintings, sculptures, prints, ceramics, wooden furnishings, and stone materials.

Among the masterpieces are several works by Pietro Vannucci, known as Perugino, such as the celebrated Madonna of Mercy with Saints Stephen, Jerome, and Donors and Saint Anthony of Padua, testifying to the artist’s mastery and delicate style. Also featured is Jacopo Siculo with his Madonna in Glory with Saints, another remarkable example of Renaissance painting. The 17th century is represented by Giuseppe Ribera, known as Lo Spagnoletto, with his Saints Peter and Paul. The Della Robbia school is present through a glazed terracotta depicting Saint Anthony of Padua.

A particularly prestigious addition is a marbleized plaster bust, a self-portrait by Antonio Canova, created in 1812 and rediscovered in Bettona in 2016 — a remarkable find that connects this small town to one of Italy’s greatest neoclassical sculptors. Alongside paintings and sculptures, the museum also showcases objects in scagliola, ceramics, seals, and coins, enriching visitors’ understanding of everyday life and artistry across the centuries.

Address: Piazza Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, 3, 06084 Bettona (PG)

Contacts:

• Phone: +39 075 571 8587 (City Museum of Bettona) / +39 075 987347 (Municipal Art Gallery)

• Website: https://artsupp.com/it/bettona/musei/museo-della-citta-di-betto

Opening Hours:

(May vary slightly between museum sections)

• Monday–Thursday: Closed

• Friday: 10:30–13:00, 14:30–17:00 (or 15:30–18:00)

• Saturday: 10:30–13:00, 14:30–17:00 (or 15:30–18:00)

• Sunday: 10:00–13:00, 14:30–17:30 (or 15:00–18:00)

Cover photo credits: Ministry of Culture