A Special Sunday for Florence Residents

On August 3, residents of the Metropolitan City of Florence (Città Metropolitana di Firenze) will have free access to civic museums and Palazzo Medici Riccardi through the 'Domenica Metropolitana' initiative. This event, jointly organized by the City of Florence, the Metropolitan City of Florence, and the MUS.E Foundation, offers customized programs for visitors of all ages.

A particular highlight of this event is the special opening of Palazzo Medici Riccardi's non-public spaces. Visitors can explore the interior of the current Prefecture (Prefettura), normally closed to the public, and view precious artworks including Ludovico Cardi (Cigoli)'s 'Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine'.

Special Programs for Families

For family visitors, Palazzo Vecchio will host a program titled 'Per fare una città ci vuole un fiore' (It Takes a Flower to Make a City). This program introduces children to the history of Florence's symbolic lily emblem at their eye level, along with the 'Vita di corte' (Court Life) tour that recreates the experience of palace life.

At Museo Novecento, a new program called 'Custodi del verde' (Guardians of Green) has been created in connection with Haley Mellin's current exhibition 'Siamo Natura' (We Are Nature). Special activities will also take place in the museum's courtyard garden, Giardino delle Leopoldine.

Museo Bardini will offer the 'Tesoro del principe degli antiquari' (Treasure of the Prince of Antiquarians) and 'Mondo tutto blu' (A Whole Blue World) tours, exploring the collection of Stefano Bardini, known as the king of antique collectors.

In-Depth Programs for Adult Visitors

For teenagers and adults, Palazzo Vecchio's Secret Passages (Percorsi Segreti) tour will be available. This consistently popular tour allows exploration of the palace's hidden spaces that are normally restricted.

At Palazzo Medici Riccardi, a new tour of the recently renovated Museo dei Marmi (Museum of Marbles) and archaeological excavation areas has been organized. This provides a valuable opportunity to understand the Medici family's history of art collecting during the Renaissance.

Major cultural spaces including the Santa Maria Novella complex, Brancacci Chapel, Memoriale delle deportazioni (Memorial of Deportations), and Forte di Belvedere will all be open free of charge.

Special Exhibitions and Urban Architecture Exploration

Museo Novecento is currently hosting three major exhibitions simultaneously: Marion Baruch's solo exhibition 'One Step Forward Several Steps Back', Haley Mellin's 'We Are Nature', and Lorenzo Bonechi's 'La Città delle donne' (The City of Women). In the museum's courtyard garden, Giardino delle Leopoldine, visitors can use drawing materials provided by the museum to sketch or browse books from the newly created 'Libreria Verde' (Green Library).

Palazzo Medici Riccardi is presenting an exhibition commemorating the 300th anniversary of Giovan Battista Foggini's death: 'Giovan Battista Foggini: Architect and Grand Ducal Sculptor', alongside Paolo Bacherini's photography exhibition 'Foggini's Florence: Perspectives'. These exhibitions were organized in collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz.

Forte di Belvedere has newly opened 'Firenze Forma Continua Lab' (Florence Continuous Form Laboratory). This installation presents Florence's urban evolution in an interactive format, centered on visitor participation. A family program will be held at 5 PM, followed by an adult participatory tour titled 'L'arte del vedere' (The Art of Seeing) at 6:30 PM.

Exploring Florence's Historic Architecture

From June through September, tower and gate tours of Florence's city walls are being offered. On August 3, Porta San Niccolò will be available for viewing from 5 PM to 8 PM at 30-minute intervals (canceled in case of rain).

Museo Bardini's Centennial Anniversary

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Museo Bardini's opening. First opened on May 3, 1925, the museum houses the vast collection of Stefano Bardini, known as the 'king of antique collectors,' and is operating special programs through Domenica Metropolitana to commemorate its historical significance.

All programs are offered free of charge to residents of the Metropolitan City of Florence, and advance reservations are recommended.