Museo Civico di Fano

The Museo Civico di Fano occupies the Palazzo Malatestiano, a building commissioned by Pandolfo III Malatesta in the early fifteenth century. Its collections range from Roman sculpture and mosaics to medieval and Renaissance paintings, ceramics and objects associated with Fano's history.

Why it matters

The palace was built between 1413 and 1421 and remained a Malatesta residence until the family's rule ended in 1463. After damage from fire and the 1874 earthquake, restorations in 1930 and 1957 preserved the structure as a home for the civic collections. The museum, formally established in 1898, presents Fano's history from prehistory to contemporary art.

What to notice

The archaeological section includes a headless statue of Emperor Claudius, a female portrait identified as Octavia, and the marble Fortuna, found near the bishop's palace. Two black-and-white mosaics from a Roman house depict a Panther and Neptune driving a chariot of sea horses. A Gracchan boundary stone documents Roman land law. The picture gallery includes works by Michele Giambono and Giovanni Santi, alongside paintings by Guido Reni, Guercino and a work attributed to Domenichino. The collections also include porcelain made by Geminiano Cozzi for the commune in 1782, coins from Fano's mint and medals by Matteo de' Pasti. Pandolfo III's padded doublet was recovered when his mummy was examined in 1995.

Context and history

The museum's collections grew from eighteenth-century civic holdings of archaeological finds and paintings from suppressed religious houses. Two council resolutions in 1898 formally established the institution, first housed in the palace's northeastern wing. Donations and bequests, including the Antonelli collection and the Vici Martelli legacy, expanded the holdings. The Palazzo Malatestiano was badly damaged in the nineteenth century and restored in 1930 and 1957. Its Arco Borgia-Cybo and Corte Malatestiana preserve the connection with the Malatesta residence.