Palazzo Pitti

About the museum

Palazzo Pitti was begun in the mid-15th century by the banker Luca Pitti, who wanted an imposing residence facing the homes of his Florentine rivals. In 1550 the palace was bought by Cosimo I de’ Medici and Eleonora di Toledo, who transformed it into the residence of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, enlarging it and linking it to the Giardino di Boboli.

After the Medici, the palace was home to the Lorraine dynasty from 1737 and to the kings of the House of Savoy from 1865, when Florence was briefly capital of Italy. The succession of dynasties has left rooms decorated in different eras, including the Appartamenti Imperiali e Reali.

Today Palazzo Pitti is part of the Gallerie degli Uffizi and houses several museums. On the ground floor are the Tesoro dei Granduchi and the Museo delle Icone Russe with the Cappella Palatina. On the first floor are the Galleria Palatina, with the Medici collection of paintings, and the Appartamenti Imperiali e Reali. On the second floor are the Galleria d’Arte Moderna and the Museo della Moda e del Costume. The Galleria Palatina holds paintings in rooms rich in stucco and frescoes, while the Tesoro gathers decorative arts in the rooms of the Appartamento d’Estate.

Highlights

• Galleria Palatina with the Medici collection of paintings
• Appartamenti Imperiali e Reali
• Tesoro dei Granduchi in the Appartamento d’Estate
• Museo delle Icone Russe, the oldest collection of its kind in Western Europe
• Galleria d’Arte Moderna and Museo della Moda e del Costume

Permanent exhibitions

• Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Imperiali e Reali – On the first floor, the Medici collection of paintings and the representative apartments of the Lorraine and Savoy.
• Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Museo della Moda e del Costume – On the second floor, works from Neoclassicism to the 1930s, and the history of fashion from past centuries to haute couture.
• Tesoro dei Granduchi e Museo delle Icone Russe – On the ground floor, decorative arts in the Appartamento d’Estate and the oldest collection of Russian icons in Western Europe.

Founded

1458

Operated by

Gallerie degli Uffizi (Ministero della Cultura)

Visitors per year

approx. 650,612

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month, for state museums.

The standard ticket costs €16 on the day and €19 with advance booking. Reductions and free admission follow the categories indicated by the museum. Annual PassePartout: €80 (individual) or €120 (family).

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

The entrance from Piazza dei Pitti has a gradient of 20%. Lifts serve the floors of the palace, and an accessible toilet is located in the courtyard.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

In the basement there are toilets and a baby pit-stop room.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check

Free cloakroom with identity document (umbrellas, large bags and backpacks must be left here), bookshop and café. The café closes at 19:00 from September to May and at 20:00 from June to August.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit