An accessible library

The museum library was created at the end of the 19th century to facilitate study, research or documentation for museum staff. Today anyone can access and enjoy its collection.

There are no architectural barriers hindering access to the Library. 

Eighty per cent of the collection is in the reference room, in an ‘open shelf’ location. This means that you only need to know the shelfmark of the book you need in order to search for it and pull it from the shelf yourself.  

Since 2016, the Library of the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria has adhered to the “participatory” cataloguing of the Umbrian Regional Pole SBN. The entire bibliographic catalogue can be consulted online (OPAC).    

In addition to the consultation room, which is open to the public, the Library consists of an office, a storage room and a small space dedicated to the conservation of miscellaneous items. In this room, accessible on request or for special occasions, the glass flooring allows you to admire relics of the ancient city walls from the Etruscan-Roman period.

The collection

Many of the Library’s publications are related to the art collection of the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria. You will also find studies on various aspects of local Italian history, both Umbrian and from other regions.

The Library houses a collection of around 30,000 volumes: a bibliographic treasure trove dedicated to the history and history of art, particularly of Perugia and the Umbrian territory, from which of many of the artworks in the museum’s collection originate. You will also find specialised volumes on technical and scientific aspects of conservation, restoration and heritage protection.

There are also two other feathers in the library’s cap: a specialised section on dictionaries, manuals, directories and encyclopaedias; and an invaluably useful area dedicated to periodicals.

Over the years, the library holdings have grown thanks to exchanges with other institutions, purchases related to the Tax Credit Librerie (2020) and substantial acquisitions. The most considerable and valuable donation came from the private library of Francesco Santi, former Museum Director and later Superintendent.

The Guffi, Emmer and Cottrau holdings are among the most valuable: they, too, come from donations and are hosted together with the periodicals in the storage room of the former Sala del Grifo e del Leone.

Other prestigious and noteworthy donations include the publications from the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Perugia.

Our mission

Not only does the Library offer a lending and reference service: it also plays an active role in the care of the artistic heritage and the social inclusion of different groups of people.

Specifically:

• offers support for scientific research in the field of artistic disciplines in all their forms;
• preserves, increases and enhances its documentary archive;
• documents the archive;

• promotes remote access through online services;
• assists and guides people in the retrieval of bibliographic information (reference);
• ensures the circulation of documents also through reproductions;
• promotes co-operation with other libraries and institutions to achieve an integrated library service;
• cooperates with other institutions to organise reading days for children aged 0-6, with the presence and help of parents, volunteers and specialised staff;
• contributes to eliminating educational poverty that prevents children from learning, experiencing and developing talents, skills and aspirations;
• promotes the social inclusion of disabled people.

The Historical Archive

The Historical Archive of the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria consists of two funds:

• the administrative files of the Regia Soprintendenza all’Arte Medioevale e Moderna di Perugia;
• the documentary material on the acquisition and management of the museum collection (AGCM).

Both have already been digitised and will soon be available online, as will the materials related to Luigi Carattoli’s archive fund. The latter were acquired thanks to a collaboration with the Accademia di Belle Arti di Perugia, which owns them.

Materials relating to the activity as director of the Civica Pinacoteca Vannucci by Francesco Moretti and Ludovico Caselli, belonging to the Moretti-Caselli Private Historical Archive, will also be available online.

The materials from the Marini Clarelli – Santi Foundation Archive, describing Francesco Santi’s activity as director of the Museum, on the other hand, are currently being digitised.

Contact us

Address: 

Piazza IV Novembre, 3, 06122, Perugia.

On the ground floor of the Palazzo dei Priori.

Hours:

From Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 14:00.

Phone number:

+ 39 075 58668444

Head Librarian: 

Esmeralda Fusaro

esmeralda.fusaro@cultura.gov.it

Technical Assistant:

Valentina Mesina

valentina.mesina@cultura.gov.it