This lovely, wheelchair-accessible museum is housed in a 15th-century palazzo, which metamorphosed into a convent in the 17th century. Divided over three floors, the wide-ranging collection of 19th- and 20th-century art focuses on Sicilian works and include everything from 19th-century monumental historical genre paintings to futuristic romps from the early 20th century. There's a regular program of modern-art exhibitions, as well as a decent museum shop. English-language audioguides cost €4.
Works are dedicated largely to Sicily and Palermo in their subject matter, with themes and landscapes that will be familiar to anyone who's already toured the island and will serve as inspiration for newcomers just embarking on their Sicilian adventure. Examples include Michele Catti's Ultime foglie (Last Leaves; 1906), a beautiful image of a wet Viale della Libertá on a late autumn day; Antonio Leto's Saline di Trapani, depicting the reflective salt pools of western Sicily; Ettore de Maria Bergler's Taormina; and Gennaro Pardo's paintings of the temples at Selinunte.