Amedeo Lia Civic Museum, Art museum in La Spezia, Italy.
The Amedeo Lia Civic Museum is an art and house museum set in a former Franciscan friary in the center of La Spezia. Its rooms hold paintings, sculptures, ivory carvings, miniatures, medals, and ancient jewelry spanning roughly five centuries of Italian and European art.
The building served as an active Franciscan friary for centuries before changing hands after the suppression of religious orders in the 19th century. The museum opened in 1996, after the city accepted Amedeo Lia's donation and restored the complex to house the collection.
The museum takes its name from Amedeo Lia, a local businessman who spent decades collecting works and eventually donated the entire collection to the city. Walking through the rooms, visitors can notice how Tuscan and Venetian painters treated the same religious subjects in very different ways.
The collection is spread across several floors, and following the rooms in order makes it easier to follow the progression of works. Visiting on a weekday tends to be quieter than on weekends, especially during the summer months.
The museum holds one of the few public collections in Liguria that displays medieval miniatures and illuminated manuscripts. These small works, often no bigger than a hand, reward a close look because the detail in each one is very fine.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
