The Interdisciplinary Regional Museum of Messina is a museum of painting, sculpture and archaeology in the city of Messina. Until 2017 it was housed in the former Barbera-Mellinghoff silk-mill, a late 19th century building chosen for it after the 1908 Messina earthquake. Since 2017 it has been housed in a nearby complex designed in the 1970s.
History
Origins
The first nucleus for the museum's collection came with various private collections of conservative taste. First opened in 1806 as the Museo civico peloritano by the Reale Accademia Peloritana "to end the despoliation of art", its formation was the idea of its first director Carmelo La Farina. It housed the Alojsio, Arenaprimo, Ciancialo, Grosso-Cacopardo and Carmisino family collections as well as a collection of 14th to 18th century paintings owned by the city's senate, which also part-funded its running costs. It was initially based on via Rovere, near the Archivio degli atti notarili, before being moved to former university buildings, then in 1884 to a building on via Peculio Frumentario and from 1891 to 1908 to the former monastery of San Gregorio.
Earthquake and recovery
The rebuilding plans were cut short by the 1908 earthquake, in which the museum collapsed and some artworks were lost.
Nationalisation
1939 plan
Post-war restoration
1956 and 1961 plans
1960s plans
1970s plans
In 1977 responsibility for the museum passed to the Regione Siciliana and it took on its present name. In 1984 it was rearranged chronologically.
Basile-Manganaro plan
Completion
Collections
The museum illustrates the course of figurative art in Messina from the 12th to 18th centuries, including paintings, sculptures and decorative art in chronological sequence. Their artists include Antonello da Messina, Mattia Preti, Caravaggio, Girolamo Alibrandi, Vincenzo Catena, Annibale Carracci and Francesco Laurana. From the precious cathedral treasury come the 'flowering branch' in gold, enamel, pearls and emeralds from a late 17th century goldsmith in the city, though only the early 14th and 17th century Sicilian jewels from the two crowns of the sacred images are displayed.
Letterio Subba The Goddess Calypso Welcoming Telemachus Cupid and Psyche Orion, Founder of Messina The Nymphs Lapizia and Fetusa Receiving the First Hare Killed by Orion Foundation of the Compagnia dei verdi L'Addolorata Mary Magdalene at Christ's Feet Nativity of the Virgin Embassy of the citizens of Messina to the Virgin Mary Matthias Stomer Mucius Scaevola in the Presence of Lars Porsena Adoration of the Shepherds
