Museo di Arte Sacra di San Michele Arcangelo, Busto Arsizio

The Museum of Sacred Art of St. Michael the Archangel is one of two private museums in the city of Busto Arsizio and is housed inside some parish premises near the thousand-year-old bell tower of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel.

The creation of the museum was the consequence of the collection of material from the parish of St. Michael the Archangel, begun in 1975. In 1988, a systematic study of individual works was initiated under the direction of Lia de Pra Cavalleri, Giuseppe Gualmo and Emanuele Bisterzo, with the collaboration of the Lombardy Superintendency of Cultural Heritage.

The Museum of Sacred Art preserves paintings from the end of the 16th century and the first half of the following century that are fundamental to the history of the city Busto Arsizio, such as "St. Charles in the act of blessing Busto," a 17th-century work depicting the cardinal who elevated Busto Arsizio to a plebeian see in 1583. Also inside the museum are notable works and works of goldsmithing including "The Processional Crosses".

The exhibits also include four ancient codices dated between the 14th century and the 17th century as well as a collection of ancient prints. Visitors can also admire tear-offs of frescoes with motifs of popular religiosity and a rich documentation of the decoration of the church of St. Michael the Archangel at the beginning of the 20th century. Finally, a collection of miscellaneous works of religious inspiration created by contemporary authors is available.