The building was constructed between 1668 and 1672 as a seminary for the Archbishop of Matera.
It was named after Vincenzo Lanfranchi, the archbishop who commissioned its construction.
The museum permanently houses 'Lucania '61', an 18-meter-long mural commissioned for the 1961 celebrations of the Unification of Italy.
The structure served as the local headquarters for the Italian judicial system before its conversion into a museum.
It is one of the few large-scale baroque buildings in Matera that sits outside the dense cave districts.
The museum's collection contains icons reflecting the historical Byzantine influence on religious art in Southern Italy.
Palazzo Lanfranchi is the primary site of the National Museum of Matera, housed within a 17th-century former seminary building. It features an extensive collection of medieval and Renaissance art sourced from churches throughout the Basilicata region. The collection includes notable wooden sculptures and polyptychs dating from the 12th to the 18th century. A dedicated section showcases the works of Carlo Levi, including his monumental painting 'Lucania '61'. The museum is located in the Piazzetta Pascoli overlooking the Sasso Caveoso. The building served as the seat of the Royal Court of the Basilicata from 1864 until the mid-20th century.
The view from the Piazzetta Pascoli looking down over the Sasso Caveoso with the Palazzo in the background.
Combine your visit with the MUSMA (Museum of Contemporary Sculpture) located nearby in the Sassi.
Focus your time on the first floor for the collection of religious wood carvings and the second floor for modern art.
Check for temporary contemporary art exhibitions held in the lower vaulted chambers.
Do not mistake it for the Sassi cave museums; this is a fine art institution, not a dwelling history museum.
Closed on Tuesdays.
Maintain a quiet tone; avoid using flash photography near older paintings and wooden artifacts.
