Contenu masquer
1 Municipal Museum of Castello Ursino (overview)
2 Diocesan Museum of Catania and Achillian Baths (overview)
3 Benedictine Monastery (overview)
4 Palazzo Biscari (overview)
5 Museum of the 1943 Allied Landing in Sicily
6 Catania Cinema Museum
7 Vincenzo Bellini Museum
8 Museum of Contemporary Art of Sicily (MacS)
9 Information and links

List of the main museums of Catania, including palaces, religious and archaeological sites.

Municipal Museum of Castello Ursino (overview)

The Castello Ursino, built between 1239 and 1250 under Frederick II, today houses the Museo Civico Castello Ursino. This museum displays collections of archaeology (Greek, Roman, and medieval objects) as well as medieval and modern works of art. It was converted into a museum in 1934 after restoration. The castle itself is remarkable as a remnant that survived the 1693 earthquake.

Piazza Federico di Svevia, 95121 Catania
→ See the article on the Castello Ursino

Diocesan Museum of Catania and Achillian Baths (overview)

The Diocesan Museum of Catania has been housed in the Palazzo dei Chierici (Seminary), at Via Etnea 8, since 2001. It displays religious works, liturgical objects, relics, and portraits, tracing the Christian history of the region.
Beneath the museum, one can discover the Achillian Baths, a vast Roman thermal complex once buried, with vaulted rooms and partially preserved pools.

Piazza Duomo, Via Etnea 8
→ Read the section dedicated to the diocesan museum

Benedictine Monastery (overview)

The vast complex of the Benedictine monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena offers guided tours of cloisters, corridors, gardens, and underground spaces.
The Museo della Fabbrica allows visitors to discover the history of the construction work, building techniques, and successive restorations. It occupies the former kitchens and refectory on two levels.

Piazza Dante Alighieri 32
→ See the article on the Benedictine monastery

Palazzo Biscari (overview)

The Palazzo Biscari is a private Baroque palace from the 18th century, famous for its richly decorated salons, its frescoes, its stuccos, and its large ballroom. It belongs to the Biscari family and is sometimes open for guided tours. The furnishings, sculpted portals, and painted ceilings illustrate the aristocratic taste of the Catanese Baroque era.

Via Museo Biscari 10
→ See the article dedicated to Palazzo Biscari

Museum of the 1943 Allied Landing in Sicily

The Museo Storico dello Sbarco in Sicilia 1943 is located in the Ciminiere complex. It covers the Allied landing in Sicily (July 10 – September 8, 1943) through exhibitions, reconstructions, weapons, objects, uniforms, and immersive projections. The museum spans three floors, with an area of approximately 3,000 m², and offers striking historical scenographies.

Cultural center “Le Ciminiere” (official website)
Piazzale Rocco Chinnici, 95129 Catania

Catania Cinema Museum

The Catania Cinema Museum is also located in the Ciminiere center. It highlights the history of cinema, with a section dedicated to Catania as a film set, clips, props, and audiovisual archives. It offers screenings, temporary exhibitions, and events related to local cinematography.

Cultural center “Le Ciminiere” (official website)
Piazzale Rocco Chinnici, 95129 Catania

Vincenzo Bellini Museum

The Museo Civico Vincenzo Bellini is housed in the Palazzo Gravina Cruyllas, in the birthplace of the composer Bellini. It traces the life and work of the musician, with manuscripts, letters, portraits, and an immersive multimedia tour. Since 2023, an interactive section allows visitors to experience the composer’s “A life in four acts.”
→ Around Catania page on the Bellini Museum

Museum of Contemporary Art of Sicily (MacS)

The MacS (Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Sicilia) is housed in the Badia Piccola, a former Benedictine monastery on via Crociferi. It is dedicated to contemporary figurative art and displays works from Sicily, Italy, and elsewhere, as well as temporary exhibitions. It is one of the few museums in Europe exclusively dedicated to contemporary figurative art.
→ Official MacS website

Information and links

External sites

Articles on Catania