10 Best museums in Siena

One of the oldest historical centres is in Siena, in the region of Tuscany, a small city full of ancient buildings, squares, fountains, churches and very interesting museums that invite you to undertake a historical and cultural tour of the region.

Visiting its museums is one of the best things you can see and do in Siena, as the whole city connects with its past, and in every alley you can breathe its history. Here I will tell you about the main museums in Siena, so that you can get to know the culture of the region in depth.

Although not really a museum, the Siena Cathedral or Duomo Santa Maria Assunta of Siena contains some of the most important works of art in Siena and Italy. Visiting this Cathedral is one of the best tours you can do in Siena.

The building itself is an architectural marvel, with its white marble façade with horizontal lines in green and red marble. The horizontally striped marble motif is also found inside, where you can see sculptures by Michelangelo, and works of art by Donatello and Domenico Beccafumi, among others.

The Pavement is considered one of the most interesting things you can see in the Cathedral, of great artistic beauty, although you can only visit it between late June and mid-October, as the rest of the year they take care of the footprints of tourists.

The Cathedral is part of the Duomo Complex, so with your ticket you can see the Piccolomini Library, where there are frescoes by Pinturicchio; the Crypt; the Panorama del Facciatore, one of the most beautiful views in Siena; and Porta del Cielo, which is a special tour to see the incredible paintings on the ceilings up close. It also includes a visit to the Baptistery of San Giovanni, where baptisms used to take place, and the Museo dell'Opera, which houses the original statues from the façade of the New Cathedral.

Further information

• Opening hours: daily from 10.30 am to 5 pm in winter and from 10 am to 7 pm in summer.
• Location: Piazza del Duomo, 8, 53100 Siena, Italy.
• Admission fee: for access to the whole complex, about 17€ for adults, 5€ for children between 7 and 11 years old, and free for children under 6 years old.
• Recommendations: please consult the Cathedral's website for holiday and mass schedules.

The Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana is one of the main museums of the city, which you can access if you buy the entrance ticket to the Duomo Complex, or you can visit it on your own. It is located in Piazza del Duomo next to the Cathedral, in a building known as the New Cathedral. It was inaugurated in 1869.

It houses the original sculptures that had adorned part of the side façade of the cathedral, which was not completed due to the Black Death. Among the most important works that you can see in this museum are the works of Duccio Di Buoninsegna, especially the piece Majesty, which adorned the high altar of the Cathedral.

In this museum you can also see the famous Renaissance statue of the Madonna and Child with the four cherubs by Donatello, and the Gothic style statues by Giovanni, Pisano and Jacopo della Quercia.

The museum is part of the Duomo Complex, so if you buy a ticket for the whole complex, you can also visit the Siena Cathedral, the Piccolomini Bookshop, the Crypt and the Baptistery at a discount. It is important that before you go you find out about tickets to the Siena Cathedral, how to buy them, their prices and discounts, so that you have complete information about this complex.

More information about the cathedral

• Opening hours: daily from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm from April to October. The rest of the year from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm. From 26/12 to 6/1 from 10.30 am to 6 pm. Holidays from 13.30 to 18.00 hs, and pre-holidays from 10.30 to 18.00 hs.
• Admission: about 17€ for adults (or 20€ with the Porta del Cielo tour) and 4€ for children from 7 to 11 years old (Opa si pass).
• Location: Piazza del Duomo 8, 53100 Siena, Italy.

The Santa Maria della Scala Museum is located in a complex of ancient buildings that once served as a civic hospital for pilgrims, right in front of the Cathedral of Siena. In addition to a journey through Siena's history, art and culture, the building is decorated with frescoes and works by important artists.

The museum has a surface area of over 20,000 square metres and 5 floors, four of which are open to the public, and is one of the top 3 most important museums in Siena.

Among the 15th century frescoes that you can see in this museum, the Reunion fresco by Domenico Beccafumi (16th century) stands out. You can also visit the Pilgrim's Hall, which also has very interesting frescoes, some of them by Domenico di Bartolo. In this room there used to be beds for the sick.

The museum is part of the Santa Maria della Scala Museum Complex, which includes the Children's Art Museum on the third floor of the Complex, the National Archaeological Museum, the Gaia Fountain and other attractions.

For more information, please visit

• Admission fee: around €9 per person.
• Opening hours: from 15 March to 15 October: daily from 10 am to 7 pm, except Thursdays from 10 am to 10 pm.

The rest of the year: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 5pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 7pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

• Location: Piazza del Duomo 1, Siena, IT 53100.

The Civic Museum is located on the first floor of the Palazzo Pubblico, a former seat of government. This palace is located in the central square of the city, Piazza del Campo, near the Cathedral of Siena. In the museum you can learn about the history of the city and the main works of art from different periods. From its terrace you can also see a beautiful view of Siena.

The Civic Museum was designed in 1930 and among the most characteristic works are the Madonna and Child by Simone Martini and the Allegories and the effects of good and bad government by Lorenzetti, frescoes that compare a well-governed city with a badly governed one.

Inside the Civic Museum you can find characteristic exhibits of the Golden Age, and works by renowned artists such as Simone Martini, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Beccafumi and Aretino, among others.

The Palazzo Pubblico, built between 1282 and 1310, is one of the most representative and elegant in Siena. Its tower is the famous Torre del Mangia, one of the tallest buildings in Siena (88 metres), which you can climb by stairs and enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the city. Don't miss these illuminated buildings if you visit Siena at night.

More information about the city

• Entry fee: about 10€ per person.
• Hours: daily from 10am to 6pm from November to March 15th. The rest of the year from 10am to 7pm.
• Location: Piazza del Campo, Siena, IT 53100.

The Museum of Torture contains about 100 instruments of torture and instruments of execution used by mankind from the 16th to the 20th century. Among the most terrifying exhibits are the chastity belt, the inquisitorial chair, the guillotine and the Nuremberg Madonna.

One of the most terrifying instruments on display is the rack, a wooden bed on which people were tortured by pulling their limbs. But you can also see in this museum less known instruments such as the Piffero del Baccanaro and the ragni spagnoli.

Another terrifying exhibit you can see in this museum is the chastity belt, used by husbands to keep their wives from being raped during their absence, and also to prevent them from being unfaithful.

The museum was actually meant to raise awareness about human cruelty, and about the importance of respecting the differences between cultures and beliefs. If you are not too impressionable, you can learn a lot about the worst side of humanity by touring the exhibits in this museum.

Read more about the museum

• Entry fee: around €10 per person, with group discounts.
• Opening hours: daily from 10am to 7pm. In winter only on Saturdays and Sundays with reduced winter opening hours.
• Location: Chiasso del Bargello, Presso Piazza del Campo, Siena, IT 53100.

The National Etruscan Archaeological Museum of Siena is also located in Piazza Duomo, where the ancient hospital of Santa Maria della Scala used to be. Here you can see very ancient archaeological remains found in the region, some of which date back to the Bronze Age. It was inaugurated in 1933.

It is located in underground rooms dating back to the 16th century. Here you can see archaeological remains such as tombs, sarcophagi and other Roman artefacts from the 3rd and 4th centuries. It also houses private collections, such as those of Mieli, Petrucci and also those of the Municipal Library and the Academy of Physiocrat.

One of the most outstanding works you can see in this museum are the 13 alabaster urns, but you can also see important pieces of bronze, mosaic, ceramics and statues. It is a museum where you can learn about the history of Siena and the region since ancient times.

More information about the museum

• Entry fee: around 9 € per person.
• Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm, except Tuesdays when it is closed. Thursdays open until 10pm. Reduced opening hours in winter.
• Location: Piazza Duomo, Complesso di S. Maria della Scala 2 - Siena.

In the Water Museum of Siena you can learn about the aqueduct systems, springs and the different artefacts of the time and the city, as well as the history and geology of Siena and the region. It is located next to the Pescaia Fountain, and was inaugurated in 2010.

With your ticket you can see this fountain, the bottini, multimedia exhibits, and also listen to some testimonies from the city's elders. The bottini are a system of underground aqueducts that still today feed the ancient fountains of the city. They cover a total length of 25 kilometres and have been in operation since Etruscan times.

This museum also has a room called the Fountain of Catchment, where you can learn about the history of the Bottini and their fountains. Siena does not have a river, so it resorted to a system of tunnels to transport underground water to the fountains and distribute it throughout the city. If you visit Siena in two days, you can also visit the Fontebranda fountain, the oldest fountain in the city.

More information about the fountains

• Entrance fee: about 10€ per person. It is advisable to book your ticket in advance because only 15 people can enter per shift.
• Opening hours: from October to May: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 12pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9.30am to 12.30pm and from 3pm to 7pm. From June to September: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 4.30 pm to 7 pm.
• Location: Str. Fonti di Pescaia, 54, 53100 Siena SI, Italy.

The Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena houses paintings belonging to the Sienese school of art, from the medieval and older periods. Its most important collection consists of paintings on wood with gilded backgrounds from the 14th and 15th centuries.

The Pinacoteca is housed in two side-by-side palaces, Palazzo Buonsignori and Palazzo Brigidi. The exhibits are arranged in chronological order on the different levels of the museum.

Some of the most renowned works in this museum are La Piccola Maestà and The Annunciation by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, as well as the Madonna by Duccio. During the visit you will be able to see the works of prominent artists such as Simone Martini, Pietro, Giovanni di Paolo, Sassetta, Matteo di Giovanni and Francesco di Giorgio Martini, among others.

For further information, please visit

• Admission fee: about €6 for adults. Guided tours (in Italian) can be booked in advance on the Pinacoteca website.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9am to 7pm, Sundays and public holidays from 9am to 1pm. Reduced opening hours in winter. Free on the first Sunday of the month.
• Location: Via San Pietro 29 - 53100 Siena.

The Museum of Art for Children has been located in the museum complex of Santa Maria della Scala since 2007. It organises events, workshops, games and artistic activities for children and teenagers, so it is perfect if you are coming to Siena with children. It was inaugurated in 1998.

The main objective of this museum is to bring children closer to art while they have fun with their family, friends or school groups. There they can participate in role-playing games, creative laboratories and the possibility of learning by playing in a group.

In addition, the museum has special exhibitions for children, both paintings and sculptures, as well as videos and photographs, organised in a didactic way. One of its outstanding rooms is the San Leopoldo, where there are works referring to childhood and where there are also many learning activities and didactic games.

More information about the museum

• Admission: free for children under 11 years of age, and around 9 euros for adults - Opening hours: from 10am to 7pm from 15 March to 15 October, except on Thursdays when it is open from 10am to 10pm. The rest of the year: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 5pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 7pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

• Location: Piazza del Duomo 1, Siena, IT 53100.

The Accademia dei Fisiocritici Natural History Museum is one of the best museums in the Tuscany region. It is housed in a building that once served as a Camaldolese monastery. The museum exhibits natural finds made over two centuries in the region, and donations.

The museum is notable for its anatomy section, dedicated to Paolo Mascagni, an anatomist who made important discoveries, including a technique of tissue preservation using mercury.

Another of its sections is the zoology section, which exhibits different stuffed animals, skeletons and insects. The geology section exhibits minerals, rocks and fossil remains of different animals. Finally, the botany section contains numerous exhibits, such as terracotta fungi and lichen herbariums.

Further information

• Entry fee: around €6 per person.
• Opening hours: Mondays and Fridays from 9am to 7pm, Saturdays from 2pm to 7pm and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 3pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Location: Piazzetta Silvio Gigli, 2 53100 Siena.