Museo Casa Francesco Datini
Museum on the ground floor of Palazzo Datini in Prato, dedicated to the merchant Francesco Datini, his frescoed house and the foundation of the Ceppo dei poveri charity.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Palazzo Datini is the best-known example of a medieval merchant’s palace. It stands next to Prato’s Palazzo Comunale, and for this reason its owner gave it a public role, which he performed with great splendour in 1409 and 1410, when it hosted Louis II of Anjou, King of Naples, twice. As well as considerable financial resources, Francesco Datini invested the family house with strong symbolic meaning, turning an entire block bounded by the present-day Via Rinaldesca, Via Ser Lapo Mazzei, Vicolo del Ceppo and Vicolo del Porcellatico into a public expression of his personality.
In 2009 the ground-floor rooms were turned into a museum dedicated to the owner’s history, his house and the charitable institution of the Ceppo dei poveri in Prato, to which the merchant left all his property. The route takes in the bedroom with two beds, the kitchen, the courtyard, the loggia and the bedroom with one bed; the frescoed rooms, original letters and images convey Datini’s personality, his relationship with his wife Margherita, his commercial activity and the history of the building.
The palace also houses the Archivio di Stato di Prato (State Archive), which holds the merchant’s very rich archive of around 150,000 letters, and the Istituto internazionale di storia economica Francesco Datini, which organises the annual Settimane di studio (study weeks). The museum is run by the Fondazione Casa Pia dei Ceppi.
Highlights
- Frescoed ground-floor rooms, including Datini’s bedroom and the kitchen
- Courtyard and loggia of the medieval merchant’s palace
- Original letters between Datini, his wife Margherita and his friend Ser Lapo Mazzei
- History of the Ceppo dei poveri of Prato
- Palace that hosted Louis II of Anjou in 1409 and 1410
- Founded
- 2009
- Operated by
- Fondazione Casa Pia dei Ceppi
- Visitors per year
- approx. 11,300
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission, with donations welcome.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is in Prato’s historic centre, near the Palazzo Comunale, at Via Ser Lapo Mazzei 43.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided visits are available by compulsory booking only, by email to info@museocasadatini.it. |
