Museo Stibbert

About the museum

The museum arose from the passion of Frederick Stibbert (1838–1906), son of an English colonel and a Tuscan mother, born in Florence and educated in England. On coming of age, in 1859, he inherited a large fortune and for almost fifty years bought art objects on the European antiques market, transforming the family's villa at Montughi into what he called “my museum”.

The collector began with arms and armour, and later added costumes, paintings, tapestries, furnishings, porcelain and objects of applied art, with the idea of documenting changes in taste and in artistic techniques. On his death he left the museum first to the British nation and, should it decline, to the city of Florence, which took it over. The museum is today run by a foundation established by his will, with the obligation to keep the collections in the rooms for which they were conceived and to open them to the public for study and education.

The whole collection numbers over 36,000 inventory numbers, for about fifty thousand objects, most of them on display; among the best-known sections are the European Armoury, the Islamic Armoury and the Japanese Armoury. The park, designed by the architect Giuseppe Poggi as a romantic English garden, includes small temples, grottoes, water games, the lemon house (limonaia), the stables, a Hellenistic-style temple and an Egyptian one overlooking the lake.

Highlights

• European Armoury with the Cavalcata of knights and armour
• Islamic and Japanese Armouries
• Costumes, paintings, tapestries and porcelain from the collection
• Villa rooms with 19th-century furnishings and decorations
• Romantic English-style park with Hellenistic and Egyptian temples, a lake and water games

Permanent exhibitions

• Armeria europea, islamica e giapponese – One of Europe's largest collections of arms and armour, with the Cavalcata hall and sections devoted to Islamic and Japanese weapons.
• Quadreria, porcellane e costumi – Paintings, porcelain, tapestries, furnishings and historic costumes that complete the rooms of the 19th-century villa.
• Il parco – Romantic English-style park designed by Giuseppe Poggi, with small temples, grottoes, water games and a lake.

Founded

1908

Operated by

Fondazione Museo Stibbert

Visitors per year

approx. 26,007

Admission & discounts

Free admission also for accompanying teachers of school classes (maximum 3), holders of an ICOM card, licensed tour guides and registered journalists.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• 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

For people with mobility disabilities it is recommended to enter from Via di Montughi 4; it is possible to arrive by car and park at the museum entrance by informing staff (tel. +39 055 475520 or 486049). The ticket office, café and toilets are fully accessible, as are some of the rooms on the ground floor and the upper floor, reached by lift. Other ground-floor rooms are hard to reach because of steps (8 from the Islamic room to the Cavalcata; 6 and 4 from the Cavalcata to the Condottiero), and the Japanese Armoury is not accessible because of its spiral staircase. The park is only partly visitable because of its gravel surface and steep slopes.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum offers educational activities for schools and families, a guided family tour on the first Sunday of the month and the annual Kids Card for children aged 5 to 12.

Getting there & parking

Main entrance in Via Federigo Stibbert 26; the offices are in Via di Montughi 4.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café in the museum and an online shop; the park, with its temples, lake and lemon house, can be visited.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The museum offers spaces for conferences and events (dedicated section on the website).

Plan your visit