The oldest Republic in the world, San Marino was founded in 301 AD, and is an ideal destination for spending a vacation. Just a few kilometers from the Romagna Riviera, it is a true oasis of tranquility and History!

San Marino City, in addition to being the Capital of the Republic, is also the heart of San Marino culture, and is densely populated with public and private museums.

Differences Between San Marino Museums:

San Marino museums differ mainly in “ownership”: we find “State Museums” and private museums.

State Museums are the cradle of San Marino people’s culture: they feature historical and archaeological artifacts, as well as artworks produced in San Marino. Private museums are primarily aimed at satisfying curiosity, discovering oddities, and entertaining situations!

What Museums Are in San Marino?

We have decided to guide you starting from the Gate of San Francesco (which San Marino residents also call the Country Gate). Passing through the walls’ entrance and proceeding a few meters, on the right, we find the first private museum: the “Torture Museum” where medieval torture instruments and methods are exhibited (currently under renovation).

Beyond the Country Gate, beginning the climb on Via Basilicius, on the right remains the Church of San Francesco, which gives its name to the museum.

The Museum of San Francesco, also called the Pinacoteca of San Francesco, displays 17th-century paintings by Guercino, Gerolamo Marchesi da Cotignola, and Nicolò Liberatore, known as l’Alunno. The Museum hosts exhibitions of national and international character and interest, which vary depending on the month of the year. We recommend contacting the museum direction directly to get updates on the current exhibition or checking the NEWS section of the site!

After completing the climb on Via Basilicius, we enter Piazzetta Titano, where we find the main and most famous museum of the Republic of San Marino: the State Museum!

In this beautiful museum, spread over multiple floors, we find archaeological artifacts ranging from the Neolithic period to the early Middle Ages.

Some of the artifacts belong to discoveries made directly on Monte Titano, such as the “bronzetti della Tanaccia”, votive gifts recovered in the “Tanaccia” area, on the ridge of Monte Titano. In addition to archaeological artifacts, you can also see some paintings from the 17th-century Italian period and various editions of San Marino coins.

During the summer of 2018, an exhibition on lutherie was organized, managed by the House of Music of the Republic of San Marino, which was internationally successful!

Exiting the State Museum of the Republic of San Marino, climbing Contrada del Collegio, at number two, we find a private museum-exhibition, inside the House of Music, which can only be visited by appointment.

Descending towards the Costa dell’Arnella gate, near the Monastery of Santa Chiara, we find the Emigrant Museum, a place where it will be easier to understand the origins of San Marino culture and how generations were formed.

Inside the museum, you can see a collection of documents and historical photographs that tell the story of San Marino emigration around the world! To date, more than twenty thousand San Marino residents live abroad (among the largest communities are those in Argentina and Detroit!). An interesting fact: San Marino residents living abroad maintain their citizenship and voting rights!

Climbing to the top of Titano, passing through the Witches’ Pass, you reach the Second Tower. The Cesta Tower (the second one) can be visited, and inside we find the last state museum we’ll present: the Museum of Ancient Weapons!

Set up over multiple floors of the Tower, in four rooms, it is a reference point for enthusiasts: beautifully displayed are 700 specimens of historical white weapons (such as knives, sabers, and sticks) and firearms (pistols, muzzle-loading and breech-loading rifles), crossbows, and daggers! Remember the possibility of climbing the walls and enjoying the beautiful panorama: on sunny days, the Miramare skyscraper will be easily visible down to Gabicce Monte.

Recently opened is the museum dedicated to werewolves and lycanthropes, located just below the First Guaita Tower, near the Nido del Falco restaurant.

On Via Salita la Rocca, you’ll also find the museum of curiosities, where more than one hundred objects and information about curious facts are exhibited.

Peasant Civilization Museum: In Montecchio, San Marino

Outside the Historic Center of San Marino, easily reachable by car or bicycle, on Strada di Montecchio, is the Peasant Civilization Museum: also called Casa Fabrica, it is a reconstructed and renovated rural farmhouse, where you can learn about the rural traditions of the Republic of San Marino.

Stamp and Coin Museum of San Marino

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In the heart of Mount Titan, where every stone tells centuries of freedom, a hidden treasure opens up for enthusiasts of numismatics and philately. The Stamp and Coin Museum of San Marino, located in the former Philatelic and Numismatic Office in Piazzetta Garibaldi, is a treasure chest where small monetary and philatelic works of art narrate the great history of the world’s oldest Republic.

A Heritage of Rarities Spanning Centuries

Spread across 700 square meters on two exhibition floors, the museum houses thousands of pieces that trace San Marino’s history from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present day. Like sentinels of time, coins, medals, stamps, and seals bear witness to the evolution of the identity and sovereignty of this microstate nestled in the heart of Italy.

San Marino’s numismatic history officially began in 1864, when the first 5 centesimi in copper were minted at the Milan mint, following the convention signed by Luigi Cibrario with the Kingdom of Italy in 1862. From that moment on, monetary issues became a tangible expression of the Titan’s independence, conveying symbols, history, and values of the Sammarinese people beyond national borders.

For the most discerning collectors, the museum reveals authentic gems: from the very rare specimens of the five lire silver coin designed by Pietro Thermignon in 1867 (never put into circulation), to the original dies of limited series from the 1930s, to the prototypes of gold coins from the 1970s, the famous “sammarinesi”.

stamps on display at the stamp and coin museum of San Marino

From Seals to Euro: The Evolution of Monetary Identity

The “Cave of Seals” offers a privileged view of the Titan’s first signs of institutional identity, even preceding coins. Castle stamps, notarial and ecclesiastical seals testify to the Republic’s ancient administrative organization. This journey continues through the lire of the twentieth century, up to the conversion to the euro in 2002, when San Marino became one of the few countries to have two versions of the national faces.

Particularly significant is the section dedicated to commemorative medals, true masterpieces that celebrate crucial events such as the Arengo of 1906, the War Hospital during the First World War, or illustrious figures such as Bartolomeo Borghesi and Melchiorre Delfico.

precious 1-lira stamps of San Marino complete sheet

The First Stamp and San Marino’s Philatelic Excellence

The philatelic section opens with a tribute to the Penny Black of 1840, history’s first stamp, before immersing visitors in San Marino’s postal tradition, documented since 1607 with the first mention of the “postilion”.

The first Sammarinese stamps, issued in 1877 with the national coat of arms, mark the beginning of a tradition of philatelic excellence, recognized worldwide. Among the most prestigious pieces are the only two complete sheets of the red lira of 1893 and the blue lira of 1894, of inestimable value, of which only 50 sheets each were printed.

Over time, San Marino has distinguished itself in philatelic innovation, becoming one of the first countries in the world to introduce philatelic sheets and triangular stamps. Collaboration with artists such as Roberto Franzoni, Emilio Greco, and even Renato Guttuso has elevated the Sammarinese stamp to a true miniature work of art.

10 € commemorative of San Marino's participation in the 2025 Osaka EXPO in silver, obverse and reverse

An Unmissable Experience for Collectors and Enthusiasts

For numismatics and philately enthusiasts, this museum represents an essential stop during a visit to San Marino. Each showcase tells not only the evolution of coins and stamps but also the founding values of the Republic: freedom, independence, and cultural identity.

The museum tour concludes with an exhibition of the latest issues, demonstrating how, even in the digital age, stamps and coins remain precious artistic and expressive spaces, true “pocket cultural containers” that continue to be appreciated and collected throughout the world.

If you are fascinated by Sammarinese history, don’t miss visiting the State Museum of the Republic and deepening your knowledge of the Treasure of Domagnano, a precious finding from the Gothic era also celebrated in special numismatic issues.

Discover other cultural treasures of San Marino, such as the famous coins and stamps of San Marino and the fascinating numismatic history of the Republic.