Museum of the Spedale del Ceppo

The Museum of the Spedale del Ceppo is located in the historical-monumental part of the former hospital complex founded in 1277, according to tradition.

The museum tour illustrates the historical, architectural, and artistic events surrounding the building, with a specific section dedicated to the Della Robbia Frieze in polychrome glazed terracotta, set on the external loggia – a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture.

In the former men’s ward of San Jacopo, the museum has a large section on the history of healthcare in Pistoia, through specific studies of the rich historical collection of surgical instruments, dating from the 18th century to the early decades of the 20th century. Two other sections are dedicated to the former psychiatric hospital at the Sbertoli Villas and to the Filippo Pacini Medical Academy.

In the garden of the former hospital, the visit to the museum is concluded with the small 18th-century Anatomical Theater, evidence of the medical-surgical school first active in the 17th century.