The Benedictine Convent of San Matteo (dissolved 1866) now houses the Museo Nazionale (National Museum). The main part of the collection centers on sculpture and pictures of the Tuscan schools from the 12th century to the 15th century. Of particular interest are the sculptures from various churches in Pisa, brought here to preserve them from increasing environmental pollution and replaced by copies in their original positions.
The statues by Giovanni Pisano come from the baptistery, the famous “Madonna del Latte” (c. 1340) from the Church of Santa Maria della Spina. Painting is represented by a number of 12th and 13th century crucifixes, panel-paintings by Simone Martini, Giovanni di Nicola, Benozzo Gozzoli and others, and examples of book illumination.
