Museo Novecento
Museo Novecento is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Florence audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~90 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type museum
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Florence Florence guide
About Museo Novecento
Florence's museum of 20th-century Italian art, housed in the historic Ospedale delle Leopoldine in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, with an outstanding collection of Arte Povera, Futurism, and Italian Modernism.
The Museo Novecento opened in 2014 in the beautifully restored Ospedale delle Leopoldine, a former convent and hospital in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, with the mission of presenting 20th-century Italian art to the many visitors who travel to Florence primarily to see Renaissance masterpieces.
The permanent collection includes major works of Italian Futurism; early 20th-century figurative painting; the Italian contribution to abstract art and Surrealism; Arte Povera (the significant Italian movement of the 1960s and 70s, represented by Jannis Kounellis, Mario Merz, Michelangelo Pistoletto and others); and significant works by artists who were closely connected to Florence, including Alberto Magnelli, Ottone Rosai, and Giovanni Colacicchi. The museum also has a strong programme of temporary exhibitions and events connecting contemporary art to the city's history. The building itself, the restored Leopoldine convent, is architecturally distinguished and includes a beautiful inner cloister.
Did you know? The Museo Novecento is one of the few museums in Italy dedicated specifically to 20th-century Italian art, most Italian art museums focus on historical periods and Renaissance art, leaving modern Italian art underrepresented in museum collections.
How long should you spend at Museo Novecento?
Plan about ~90 min at Museo Novecento. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Museo Novecento worth visiting?
Museo Novecento is one of the 42 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Florence, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Florence
Hear the story of Museo Novecento
Preview the Florence tour free in the Gingerguide app.