Museo delle Sinopie

Housed in Pisa’s former Spedale di Santo Spirito, the Museo delle Sinopie preserves the rare sinopie—charcoal and red-ochre preparatory drawings—made for the Campo Santo’s medieval frescoes before they were destroyed in WWII. These life-size underdrawings reveal how Italian masters planned composition, perspective, and anatomy, offering a behind-the-scenes look at fresco technique seldom visible elsewhere. Clear displays, bilingual labels, and the building’s serene setting make it a focused, enlightening stop, especially for art and history enthusiasts or visitors to the Piazza dei Miracoli seeking context beyond the Leaning Tower. Expect a compact visit rich in insight.