Palazzo Rosso
Baroque residence of the Brignole-Sale family on Strada Nuova, with frescoed rooms, historic furnishings and a rich picture gallery of Italian and European masters.
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About the museum
Palazzo Rosso was built between 1671 and 1677 for the brothers Ridolfo and Gio.Francesco Brignole-Sale, to a design by the architect Pietro Antonio Corradi. The building has a U-shaped plan with two noble floors, each with a central loggia and hall and rooms on either side. The two brothers divided the floors between them and had the rooms decorated with frescoes and stuccoes by Genoese painters and by artists of other schools, including Domenico Piola, Gregorio De Ferrari and Gio.Andrea Carlone.
In the 18th century Gio.Francesco II, Doge of the Republic of Genoa from 1746, had the façade fitted with the characteristic lion's heads and renewed the furnishings in the French taste he had come to know during a diplomatic mission to Paris. The family's collections of paintings grew over time, partly thanks to contributions from the Durazzo family.
In 1874 Maria Brignole-Sale, Duchess of Galliera, gave the palace to the city of Genoa, intending it to be preserved as a monument to her family. After the damage caused by the bombing in the last war, the display was renewed after the war by the architect Franco Albini. Today Palazzo Rosso is part of the Musei di Strada Nuova, within the Palazzi dei Rolli system, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a house museum in which visitors can see the historic rooms together with the paintings by Veronese, Van Dyck, Strozzi, Guercino and other masters, the collections of ceramics, textiles and coins, and the cabinet of drawings and prints.
Highlights
- Frescoed noble floors (Sala della Primavera, Sala dell'Estate, Sala dell'Autunno and Sala dell'Inverno)
- Brignole-Sale picture gallery with works by Veronese, Van Dyck, Guercino and Strozzi
- Portrait of Paolina Adorno Brignole-Sale by Van Dyck
- Apartment of an art lover designed by Franco Albini
- Panoramic rooftop terrace and multisensory route
Permanent exhibitions
- Appartamenti e sale affrescate dei Brignole-Sale – Route through the two noble floors, with rooms decorated with 17th-century frescoes and stuccoes and the historic furnishings of the Brignole-Sale family.
- Pinacoteca di Palazzo Rosso – Paintings of the Genoese, Venetian, Emilian and Flemish schools, with works by Veronese, Guercino, Strozzi and Van Dyck.
- Founded
- 1677
- Operated by
- Comune di Genova
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €14 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €9holders of the ticket for the exhibition “Van Dyck l’Europeo” at Palazzo Ducale (until 19 July 2026); for young people aged 18 to 25 the ticket costs €2 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission until the age of 18. |
| Seniors | –Throughout August, free admission for visitors over 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission with a European Disability Card or appropriate certification; free for the companion too. |
| Students & apprentices | –Free admission for teachers and students of some departments of the University of Genoa and the Accademia Ligustica; for EU school groups with booking. |
| Reduced ticket for young people aged 18 to 25 | €2 |
| Genova Museum Card 24 hours | €24Purchase in the online shop of the Musei di Genova. |
| Genova Museum Card 48 hours | €45Purchase in the online shop of the Musei di Genova. |
Free admission: Free admission for residents of the Metropolitan City of Genoa every Sunday and in the last time slot of the day (for the Musei di Strada Nuova, entry between 17:00 and 17:30); free admission for over-65s throughout August.
The admission ticket (full price €14, reduced €9) is a combined ticket valid for the Musei di Strada Nuova (Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi) and for the Museo di Sant'Agostino. Free admission also for journalists, tour guides, ICOM members, teachers with a school card, and people visiting for documented study or research. The price may vary for special events or temporary exhibitions. The annual Genova Museum Card costs €60, €50 for residents and €25 for students.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The main entrance is accessible and the visit takes place over two floors with a lift, while the panoramic terrace can only be partly reached because of some steps. The lift is currently out of service: the exhibition spaces can only be reached by stairs. A loan wheelchair, accessible toilets on the lower ground floor, a multisensory route for blind and partially sighted visitors with a tactile model and tactile maps, two videos in LIS, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication tools are available. Parking for disabled parking permit holders: 4 spaces in Piazza delle Fontane Marose. Information and bookings: +39 348 441 7932.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
The Educational Services periodically offer activities for families, including on the occasion of the national days F@MU and KidPass, to bring adults and children closer to the collections together.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Piazza Fontane Marose
Bus: line 18 (Pronto Soccorso S. Martino – Brignole – Sampierdarena), line 20 (Foce – De Ferrari – Principe – Sampierdarena), line 34 (Staglieno – Manin – Largo Zecca – Stazione Principe). Metro: De Ferrari stop, then about 5 minutes on foot. Funiculars: Sant'Anna (Portello and Bertani/Magenta stops) and Zecca-Righi (Zecca stop).
By car
Autopark Piccapietra with 500 spaces about 600 metres away; 4 spaces reserved for disabled parking permit holders in Piazza delle Fontane Marose.
- Accessible parking
The Via Garibaldi area is in the historic centre of Genoa.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The bookshop with the ticket office is in the building of the Musei di Strada Nuova.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | During the Rolli Days access is allowed only by reservation and with guided tours along a selected route of rooms and works. Some spaces and works may not always be visitable because of displays, restorations or loans. The Dogs & Museum service allows you to entrust your dog to a dog sitter during the visit. |
