The National Museums of Perugia – Regional Directorate of the National Museums of Umbria are an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Culture, responsible for safeguarding and promoting 15 sites across the Umbrian territory: museums, archaeological areas, and monumental complexes that narrate thousands of years of Italian history, art, and culture, from the Paleolithic period to the contemporary age.
The beating heart of the institution is the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria (GNU), located in Perugia, the largest and most prestigious museum in the region and one of Italy’s leading museums of medieval and Renaissance art.
The Gallery houses masterpieces of outstanding international importance, including works by artists such as Perugino, Pinturicchio, Beato Angelico, and Piero della Francesca—an extraordinary testament to Umbria’s central role in the development of Italian and European art.
Through activities of conservation, restoration, research, and promotion in Italy and abroad, the institution works to keep this heritage alive and accessible, fostering dialogue between past and present.
International support is essential to preserve these treasures and pass them on to future generations, strengthening the universal value of Italy’s cultural heritage.
The GNU's collection includes more than 3,000 works—paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, and goldsmith objects. Featured artists include Arnolfo di Cambio, Duccio di Boninsegna, Gentile da Fabriano, Fra Angelico, Benozzo Gozzoli, Piero della Francesca, Perugino, Pinturicchio, Orazio Gentileschi, Pietro da Cortona, and many others. The exhibition route covers 40 rooms over two floors, for a total of 4,000 square meters.
In recent years, the GNU has expanded its cultural offerings with temporary exhibitions, conferences, and educational projects. Among the most notable exhibitions is The Enigma of the Master of San Francesco: The Stil Novo of 13th-Century Umbria, the first monographic exhibition dedicated to this anonymous artist active in 13th-century Umbria. The exhibition brought together around sixty works from major international museums and included a virtual reconstruction of the artist's contributions.
As of January 2024, the GNU is directed by Costantino D’Orazio, who has launched a renewal program aimed at strengthening the museum’s role as a dynamic and inclusive cultural hub. Upcoming initiatives include new collaborations with national and international institutions, digitalization of the collection, and the expansion of educational activities for diverse audiences.
In 2023, the Gallery hosted a major national exhibition marking the 500th anniversary of the death of the great artist Pietro Vannucci, known as Perugino, which recorded record attendance. In the following months, in 2024 and 2025, exhibitions were dedicated to the Master of San Francesco and the theme "Nature in Art," featuring works by Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Corot, and many other artists spanning several centuries of art history.
Donors
Frank Moore Bravo Dr Levine