Museo della Città di Guastalla

About the museum

The Museo della Città di Guastalla has been open since 2009 and holds historical, cultural and artistic evidence of the town. It occupies three rooms on the piano nobile of the Palazzo Ducale in Via Gonzaga: one houses the Quadreria Maldotti, with about fifty paintings from the Biblioteca Maldotti, while the others are used for temporary exhibitions.

The palazzo, seat of government of the Torelli and later of the Gonzaga, dukes of Guastalla from 1621, is a building whose construction never stopped over five centuries. After the end of the dynasty in 1746 it still housed state functions; in 1896 it was bought by the engineer and timber entrepreneur Flavio Mossina, who used it as offices, workshops and a residence. Since the 2000s it has returned to public use, with a focus on culture.

The route through the Quadreria is spread over nine rooms: from the founder Marcantonio Maldotti to portraits of dukes and distinguished citizens, from the bequest of Don Luigi Antonelli to 19th-century works by Pietro Rossi, Hayez and De Nittis, and on to the Paralupi donation, portraits of the Gonzaga dukes and the eight 17th-century “Dame” from Villa Paralupi, donated in 1981.

Highlights

• Quadreria Maldotti with about 50 paintings
• The eight 17th-century “Dame” from Villa Paralupi
• Portraits of the Gonzaga dukes, including Ferrante III and Vincenzo Gonzaga
• 19th-century works by Pietro Rossi, Hayez and De Nittis
• Piano nobile of the Palazzo Ducale

Permanent exhibition

• Quadreria Maldotti – About fifty paintings from the Biblioteca Maldotti, with bequests and donations, portraits of the Gonzaga and the 17th-century Dame of Villa Paralupi.

Founded

2009

Operated by

Comune di Guastalla

Visitors per year

approx. 9,476 (2022)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the piano nobile is free of charge.

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 at Via Gonzaga 16; the Ufficio informazioni turistiche (IAT) is on the ground floor of the Palazzo Ducale.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.