This itinerary in the extraordinary artistic heritage of the Archdiocese of Urbino – Urbania – Sant’Angelo in Vado, is named in memory of the noble family from Urbino of Pope Clement XI Albani (1700-1721) and its artistic patronage which contributed to enriching the “treasures of the cathedral”. Since 1964, the Episcopal Complex has been the location of a museum in continual growth, strengthened by recent discoveries and findings of which the Archdiocese territory is rich, and are today displayed in a completely renewed setting.

It holds a rich assortment of ecclesiastical furnishings, from the XIII century to our times; third and fourth century illuminated manuscripts, chalices and reliquaries of filigree and enamel, majolica and porcelain, amber, gold and silver, crystals, ivory pastoral staffs, and liturgical vestments lined with precious metals. Unique are the monumental brass lectern from the library of the Duke of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro and the bronze candelabrum cast by Francesco di Giorgio Martini. There are many detached frescoes which tell the story of the diffusion of the International Gothic style in the land of the Salimbeni brothers, Jacopo and Lorenzo. The boards and canvases painted between the XIV and XVIII century provide evidence of the great artistic schools of Giovanni Santi, Mannerism and of great artistic personalities such as Federico Barocci (Repentant St. Jerome, Ecstasy of the Blessed Michelina) and Federico Zuccari (Christ at the Column) who have characterized the history of the territory over the centuries, as well as having conquered the national and international scene.

The grand Cathedral in Neoclassical style, designed by the architect Giuseppe Valadier at the end of the XVIII century, contains the Albani Museum and the Oratory of the Grotta, a place of worship and piety tied to tradition of the Holy week, and now, as an exhibition space, the fulcrum of the ecclesiastic artistic heritage of Urbino.

The Cathedral Museum officially opened in 1964.

It was named after the noble family, Albani, from Urbino, in order to honor their donation to Pope Clement XI (Giovan Francesco Albani, who was Pope from 1700 until 1721). The Pope showed his generosity to the city and the Cathedral by creating the first nucleus of the collection. In the “Guide to Urbino” which was written by Clement XI in 1703 to accompany the papal legates Origo and Lancisi  on their visit to Urbino, this collection was referred to as the “treasures of the Cathedral”. A passage from this text is now inscribed on the museum entrance door.

The structure has recently been restored to include nine rooms created with the most up-to-date museum technology. This exhibition displays the precious art from the Archdioceses of Urbino-Urbania-Sant'Angelo in Vado