Location: Province of Siena
Top Things to do in Province of Siena
Countries
What to do and see in Province of Siena, Tuscany: The Best Art Museums
The Province of Siena (Italian: Provincia di Siena) is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.
Restaurants in Province of Siena
1. Museo Palazzo Corboli
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 54 reviews
The Daily Telegraph has defined Palazzo Corboli as “one of the most beautiful small Museums in Italy”. It is set-up inside a wonderful medieval building, belonged to the wealthy Bandinelli family and it is decorated with a rare series of fourteenth century frescos. It hosts the Archaeological section, dedicated to Etruscan and Roman evidences from the High Ombrone Valley and the Sacred Art section, with real Sienese works of art.
2. Villa Brandi
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
3. Presepi dal Mondo
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 29 reviews
Reviewed By iCiao - Washington DC, United States
You can travel the world for Christmas when you visit this elegant museum of nativity displays. While modest in size, the owner has managed to fill its many display cases with beautiful art from many countries. We enjoyed talking with him about the displays. Afterward, it’s a short walk from the wine bar Dopoteatro or the restaurant Da Gagliano which makes this visit to Sarteano a real pleasure. Good for couples, friends, and families with older children.
4. Complesso Museale della Contrada della Tartuca
5. Torre Grossa (o Torre del palazzo del Podesta)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 376 reviews
Along with the Clock Tower, the Podesta's Palace Towers are the most impressive as they look out over the Piazza Duomo.
Reviewed By AlbertSalichs - Manresa, Spain
Torre Grossa is the highest tower in San Gimignano, a fantastic medieval town located in Tuscany Region, in the center of Italy. I am almost sure that it is a bell tower, where there is a very interesting museum of the history of San Gimignano, where you can see objects, paintings and explanations about the history of the town. Also, you can enter to the Pallazzo Comunale and see some official rooms. While you go up to the tower, you can see some very interesting videos about he history of the city and when you arrive at the top of the tower, you can see top views of this medieval town. Wonderful! Also, I came here with my 3 years old daughter (in August-2019) and she enjoyed a lot going up and down, seeing the videos and hearing the music, and seeing the charming views from the tower. A top for adults and children in Tuscany, in Italy, in Europe and probably on world.
6. Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 600 reviews
Occupying part of Il Duomo's extension, this museum houses Pisano's original statues from the building's façade and a fine array of panels, including works by Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti and Sano di Pietro.
Reviewed By tinaNtravel - San Jose, United States
The museum was quite good. The first part contains an impressive large stain glass window. The museum is then divided into a number of different rooms. The museum contains paintings, statues, a relic (skull) of San Clemente Martire inside a beautiful gold enclosure, old books and more. You can also climb the stairs to the very top for some magnificent views. I also climbed the stairs in the Duomo and found the view from here to be better. To climb the stairs, you need to wait in the room that has large triangle paintings and chairs to sit on, while waiting. Once everyone in the previous group comes down, the group waiting can go up. The stairs are narrow and winding. It isn’t really possible for one person to go up while another comes down, hence the need for the wait. A guide is up top to answer questions and presumably to tell everyone they need to go down (for the next group) at some point in time. I walked down on my own before that happened. If you are able to make the rather strenuous climb, the views are worth the wait.
7. Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 626 reviews
This museum complex, which houses the National Archaeological Museum of Siena, began as a pilgrims' hostel and orphanage, then served as a hospital from the 10th century to modern day.
Reviewed By westy54 - Sydney, Australia
The former hospital and hospice that occupied this site and which has now been transformed into a huge museum complex commenced operating before the 12th century. The Santa Maria della Scala organisation provided a large number of services to the people including taking in abandoned babies and children, serving meals to the poor, treating the sick and caring for pilgrims who often received free food and lodgings. The Via Francigena, the main pilgramage road to Rome, passed through Siena and near the hospital which is located directly opposite the Duomo. The hospital complex was greatly expanded over the course of the many centuries following its establishment and it became part of the University during the 18th century. The hospital though ceased operating in the second half of the 20th century and, following a period of substantial renovation and refurbishment, the hospital opened as a museum in 1995. Those renovations and refurbishments are still ongoing. The complex encompasses three levels, has its own internal covered roadway, its own 13th century church, the magnificently frescoed and ornately decorated marble and gold plated Chiesa di Santissima Annunziata, a separate Archaeological museum with a vast array of Etruscan and Roman urns, pottery, statues etc, a museum dedicated to children (not a must see), cavernous beautifully frescoed Pilgrim halls that used to be used to house the pilgrims and the sick plus much more. Down another flight of stairs and there are several large rooms, including the former granary, that house the original marble statues from the Fonte Gaia by Jacopo della Quercia as well as a treasury that holds precious relics and reliquary. There is also the Oratorio di Santa Caterina della Notte where it is said that Saint Catherine of Siena, who worked in the hospital, passed her nights in prayer. There are beautiful frescoes and paintings in many of the halls and chambers. There was also a visiting temporary art exhibition during our visit that had some lovely paintings. There are a lot of steps but we did notice one lift so I would say that it may be wheelchair friendly. Cost of entry was EUR 9-00 per adult but there are a number of combination tickets for entry to here plus the Duomo or for entry to here plus the Torre del Mangia and the Museo Civico which is the combination that we purchased for EUR 20-00 per person. This complex has something new and interesting at the end of each corridor and tunnel and whilst it is a bit of a labyrinth, it is not that difficult to navigate although I would allow a good two hours to see most of it. Well worth the time.
8. Palazzo Pubblico and Museo Civico
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 918 reviews
Siena's City Hall, whose construction began in the 13th century, houses the city's Civic Museum, whose collection includes the profound fresco entitled "Allegory of Good and Bad Government."
Reviewed By AlbertSalichs - Manresa, Spain
Palazzo Pubblico is the main building located in Piazza del Campo (the main square in Siena), located in this charming medieval town, in the Region of Tuscany, in the center of Italy. In fact, this building is the town hall and you can enter in the inner courtyard, which is wonderful. From here you can see the Mangia Tower from below, which is one of the most important turistic places in the city. The best views of the building are from the other side of Piazza del Campo, a place I am sure you will visit firstly, if you go to Siena. Top place! Wonderful complex: main square, town hall and tower. (See also Centro Storico di Siena and Torre de Mangia)
9. Parco Sculture Del Chianti
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 229 reviews
The Chianti Sculture Park is a permanent exhibition of contemporary installations and sculptures. Artists from all over the world have created 26 artworks, like a labyrinth, a rainbow, a huge keel, all perfectly integrated in the surrounding wooded area. Along a walking trail of 1 km the visitor is able to enjoy the typical Tuscan landscape and the sculptures at the same time.
10. Art Museum of Chianciano Terme
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 47 reviews
The Museum of Art of Chianciano hosts a series of collections ranging from Neolithic and Asiatic to Contemporary art. There are approximately a thousand works on display. You will view paintings and sculptures by artists such as Tom Nash, Francis Turner, Brian Willsher and Albert Louden, drawings by the likes of Magritte, Guttuso and Munch, historical works from Royal Collections and original etchings by masters such as Durer and Rembrandt.
