Galleria d'arte moderna e contemporanea "Villa Franceschi"

About the museum

The Galleria d’arte moderna e contemporanea “Villa Franceschi” was inaugurated in 2005 on the initiative of the municipality of Riccione, with technical and scientific collaboration from the Istituto regionale per i beni culturali (regional institute for cultural heritage). It is housed in a Liberty-style villa built in two phases, between 1900 and 1910 and in the 1920s, one of the rare surviving examples of seaside architecture from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Riccione was becoming a holiday destination for the Emilian upper middle class. In 1919 the building was bought by Federico Franceschi and his wife, who renovated and extended it, giving it its present appearance.

The villa houses two 20th-century collections. The core of the civic art collection was formed after the Second World War thanks to painting competitions promoted by the Azienda di Soggiorno (local tourist board), such as the 1st Exhibition of the Emilia-Romagna Landscape (1948) and Marine d’Italia (1949), and to donations, including those from the Franceschi heirs and from the Forlì painter Maceo Casadei. Acquisitions of mostly local artists have been added, such as Giulio Turci, Federico Moroni and Alberto Sughi.

The second collection is the Collezione Arcangeli, owned by the Emilia-Romagna Region and partly on deposit in the villa. It documents the currents of postwar Italy, from Realism to Informel and Ultimo Naturalismo, with works by Enrico Baj, Renato Birolli, Alberto Burri, Virgilio Guidi, Pompilio Mandelli, Mattia Moreni, Vincenzo Satta and Mario Schifano.

Highlights

• Liberty-style villa from the early 20th century in the heart of Riccione
• Collezione Arcangeli with works by Burri, Birolli, Guidi and Schifano
• Civic art collection with paintings by Sughi, Turci and Moroni
• Works by Maceo Casadei donated to the municipality

Permanent exhibitions

• Collezione d'arte civica – 20th-century works, mainly of local origin, from painting competitions, donations and purchases.
• Collezione Arcangeli – Emilia-Romagna Region collection with works from postwar Italy, from Realism to Informel.

Founded

2005

Operated by

Comune di Riccione

Visitors per year

approx. 7,500

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

According to the municipality of Riccione’s page, admission is free; the Musei Italiani listing instead gives €3 (reduced €2).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

There are steps at the entrance (architectural barriers); parking and access reserved for people with disabilities are provided. Paid and free parking is available nearby.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Paid and free parking nearby.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.