Teatro Farnese
Seventeenth-century wooden theatre in the Palazzo della Pilotta, with a horseshoe-shaped cavea for over 3,000 spectators, rebuilt after the war.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Teatro Farnese was commissioned by Duke Ranuccio I Farnese to host a visit to Parma by Cosimo II de’ Medici. The design is by Giovan Battista Aleotti, known as l’Argenta, and the building was carried out quickly with light materials such as painted wood and stucco. The works were completed in 1619, but the visit did not take place. The theatre was inaugurated only in 1628 for the wedding of Odoardo Farnese and Margherita de’ Medici, with a staging of Monteverdi’s Mercurio e Marte.
The hall has a U-shaped plan, a cavea of fourteen tiers that could hold over 3,000 spectators, and a stage about 40 metres long, equipped with sliding wings and a fitted under-stage. It was also designed to flood the auditorium floor and stage naval battles.
On 13 May 1944 Allied bombing severely damaged the Palazzo della Pilotta and the theatre. Reconstruction began in 1953 and, reusing many original wooden elements, the structure was rebuilt by 1962; the restoration was completed in 1965. Today the theatre is the monumental entrance to the Galleria Nazionale and forms part of the Complesso della Pilotta, with a single ticket.
Highlights
- Horseshoe-shaped wooden cavea with fourteen tiers
- Stage of about 40 metres with sliding wings
- Post-war reconstruction with original wooden elements
- Monumental entrance to the Galleria Nazionale
- Operated by
- Ministero della Cultura – Complesso monumentale della Pilotta 0
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €18 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2young people aged 18 to 24 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €14 per personAdult groups of 10 to 30 people; booking mandatory for schools and groups. |
| Families | €16Parent with child: €16 for each parent. |
| Admission from 17:00 | €10 |
| Visitors with a licensed guide from 18:00 | €5From 5 July 2025, in the open spaces from 18:00 until closing, entry is only with a licensed guide; tickets are sold only at the ticket office, from 9:00 to 18:00. |
| Combined ticket (Pilotta, Antica Spezieria di San Giovanni, Castello di Torrechiara, Veleia archaeological area) | €25 |
Free admission: Every first Sunday of the month (Domenica al museo), 25 April, 2 June and 4 November; free admission for women on 8 March. On free days, tickets are not bought online.
A single ticket is valid for the Galleria Nazionale, the Teatro Farnese, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, the Biblioteca Palatina (excluding the services area) and the Museo Bodoniano. Purchase at the ticket office (9:00–18:00) or online; the online ticket is read by QR code at the entrance. Reduced or free tickets require a document proving entitlement. Free admission also for members of the Amici della Pilotta and for the categories provided for by the Ministero della Cultura.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
Access to the Galleria Nazionale, the Teatro Farnese, the Archaeological Museum and the Biblioteca Palatina is by mobile ramps, lifts and stairlifts, with help from staff. For information: cm-pil.info@cultura.gov.it.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 3 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
| Family ticket | €16 · Parent with child: €16 for each parent. |
The Teatro Farnese is visited with the same ticket as the Complesso della Pilotta; admission is free for under-18s.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Urban buses with stops at the Palazzo della Pilotta: lines 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19 and 23 (timetables on tep.pr.it).
By car
Paid parking
Parcheggio Toschi, underground and paid, next to the palace.
From the Parma exit of the A1 motorway, follow the direction for the centre. From the railway station the museum is about 10 minutes on foot, along viale Toschi or via Verdi. Coaches can stop for passengers to alight in viale Toschi.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Lockers
Backpacks and large bags can be left free of charge in the lockers at the ticket office. Rest area with drink and snack vending machines at the Sala del Trionfo, behind the stage of the Teatro Farnese.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photographs and video for personal use are permitted without flash, tripods or selfie sticks. |
| Good to know | Free route, without time slots. Panels and captions are in Italian and English, and a free bilingual leaflet is available at the ticket office. Guided tours are booked through the Ufficio Turismo of the Comune di Parma (0521 218889); groups and schools: cm-pil.scuole@cultura.gov.it. |
