The Children’s Museum, Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

The Association is based in Palazzo Vecchio which, for over seven centuries, has been a symbol of civic power in the city of Florence. Palazzo Vecchio, behind the severe Medieval walls of Palazzo dei Priori, was built by Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo I de Medici in the second half of the sixteenth century. In fact, Palazzo Vecchio has undergone many alterations over the centuries, especially during the first two hundred years of its existence – from the end of the thirteenth century to the end of the sixteenth century. In 2000, certain rooms in Palazzo Vecchio were transformed into educational spaces.

The Museo dei Ragazzi occupies the following areas:
- The Bia and Garcia Story Theatre (Teatrino delle Storie di Bia e Garcia) is in what was the ticket office
- The office is in what was the bar
- The reception and call centre are in what was the elevator area
- The Atelier della Manualità is in what was the restaurant
- The Renaissance in Florence Theatre (Teatro di Civiltà del Rinascimento a Firenze) is on the mezzanine floor between the Loeser collection and the Strozzi room
- The multimedia section of the museum is in a room in Eleonora’s quarters
- Apparatus for measuring perspective are in the spacious Geographical Map Loft

The Museo dei Ragazzi is promoted and supported by the City of Florence and aims to offer a well-articulated educational and cultural experience. The Association’s goal is to highlight the city’s rich historical and artistic heritage to both visiting school groups and private individuals.The Museo dei Ragazzi uses fashions from the fifteenth to the sixteenth centuries in Florence to explain that historical era. It was during this period that the court of Cosimo I and his consort, Eleonora de Toledo, along with the other great European courts, played a fundamental role in the evolution of fashion.

‘Over the centuries, from the start of the Renaissance, there were many great changes in fashion. Not so much dramatic changes, but slight mutations on current trends which lasted for long periods and which contributed to wider transformations in style. Fashion became increasingly important as the leading families and royalty frequently updated their look, becoming the fashion role-models of that time.’ C.Vecellio.In order to show how people dressed, many fifteenth and sixteenth outfits have been re-made, with scrupulous attention to detail.

Of the numerous court outfits in the museum’s interactive ateliers, those made for Cosimo I de Medici and Eleonora de Toledo are of particular interest. In order to reconstruct their clothes, many written and artistic sources such as the Medici wardrobe register, have been consulted. Researchers also benefited from the study of the restored funeral clothes of the Medici family and one of the duchess’ dresses which is on display at the Palazzo Reale Museum in Pisa.

Museo dei Ragazzi - Children's Museum
Ingresso: Via de’ Gondi - Tel. 055 2768224/558
http://www.museoragazzifirenze.it/

Opening Hours:
Weekdays: Winter: 9.30-17.30; Thursdays 9.30-12.30; Summer: 10-18; Thursdays 10-13; Mon-Fri and Sat: 18.30-22.30;
Sundays and holidays: Winter: Sunday 9.30-17.30; Holidays: 9.30-12.30; Summer:10-18; Holidays 10-13

The ticket offices close 30 minutes before the museum closing time, 1 hour  before at Palazzo Vecchio. Yearly closing day: Jan 1st, Easter, May 1st, Aug 15th,  Dec 25th.

Entrance: € 6,00