The history of fashion from the 18th century to the 2000s illustrated by captivating glimpses in an interplay between art and the historical environment of the Museum

The history of fashion, haute couture, the evolution of taste and costume through the centuries

Between public and private court life: a Palace for three dynasties

Pitti Palace

The Museum of Costume and Fashion (formerly known as the Costume Gallery) is located in the Palazzina della Meridiana next to the southern wing of Pitti Palace. Started under Grand Duke of Tuscany Peter Leopold by architect Gaspero Maria Paoletti in 1776 and completed in 1830 by Pasquale Poccianti under Grand Duke Leopold II, the building takes its name from the astronomical instrument made by Vincenzo Viviani in 1699. The instrument is in the vestibule &ndash; with the gnomon pinhole &ndash; of Grand Prince Ferdinando de&rsquo; Medici&rsquo;s apartment. Anton Domenico Gabbiani depicted the Allegory of Time and the Arts (1693) in the vault of the vestibule. All the successive dynasties, from the Habsburg-Lorraine family to the House of Savoy, including the regency of Maria Luisa of Parma and the brief reign of Elisa Baciocchi, left their mark on furnishings and decorative wall paintings. Founded in 1983, it was the first State museum in Italy dedicated to the history of fashion and its social significance. Displayed in rotation for conservation reasons, its collections include clothes, jewellery and accessories from the 18th century to today, along with a captivating group of stage costumes worn by movie, theatre and opera stars in works helmed by reknowned 20th-century directors. Among ancient garments, the 16th-century funeral clothes of Cosimo I de&rsquo; Medici, Eleanor of Toledo and their son Garzia de&rsquo; Medici have been completely restored and are part of the permanent collection on display.

Museum of Costume and Fashion

The new arrangement of the Museum of Costume and Fashion 

Nine newly opened rooms (with many never-before-seen garments) recount the styles of the past century, from the Charleston of the 1920s to the dazzling '80s of Enrico Coveri, passing through the breathtaking creations of Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, and Roberto Capucci

At Palazzo Pitti the 20th century showcased in 40 dreamlike dresses: the new arrangement at the museum of Costume and Fashion

In the Palatine Gallery the Niche Room is home to a selection of masterpieces of artistic furnishings across three dynasties: the Medici, Lorraine, and Savoy.

Three centuries of court splendour in the private rooms of the King and Queen

The Royal Apartments occupy the South wing of Pitti Palace on the first floor. At the beginning of the 18th century the private apartments were occupied by Grand Prince of Tuscany Ferdinando de’ Medici; then, between the end of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century, they were renovated and altered by the Grand Dukes of Habsburg-Lorraine. From 1865 the sovereigns of the Royal House of Savoy (hence the name) lived there during the short period in which Florence was the capital of Italy, leaving the distinctive stamp of their taste on the general appearance of the Royal Apartments, which is still visible today. Sumptuously furnished with pieces from the collections of the Medici, Habsburg-Lorraine and House of Savoy, the 14 rooms bear traces of the changing dynasties. The tables with semi-precious stone inlays, consoles and mirrors, furnishings and silk tapestries on the walls are in a striking mixture of styles, reflecting the daily life and taste of the different periods and inhabitants.

Royal Apartments

The Hall of Niches in Palazzo Pitti with an exhibition of furniture

At the Pitti Palace, the “very best” of the king’s furniture

Vasari Corridor. Friday evening opening

Tickets

The Newsletter of the Uffizi Galleries

Paintings and sculptures from Neoclassicism to the 1930s: the greatest exponents of Italian art in the sumptuous residence of the Grand Dukes of Habsburg-Lorraine

Gallery of Modern Art

The Gallery of Modern Art is located in the rooms once inhabited by the Habsburg-Lorraine family on the second floor of Pitti Palace, from which there is a magnificent view over Florence and the Boboli Gardens. Its collections of paintings and sculptures, ranging from the end of the 18th century until the first decades of the 20th century, are still being added to through donations and purchases. Once inhabited by the Grand Dukes of Habsburg-Lorraine, these sumptuous rooms host Neoclassical and Romantic artworks and numerous important paintings by the Macchiaioli school, mainly from Diego Martelli&rsquo;s collection. There is indeed a considerable number of historical paintings in the Gallery, including the well-known landscapes of the Maremma area by Giovanni Fattori, leading artist of the Macchiaioli movement. The 19th-century itinerary concludes with works of Symbolist&nbsp;and Divionist movements. Among the various painters on display: F. Hayez, S. Lega, T. Signorini, G. Fattori, C. Pissarro, M. Rosso, G. Boldini, P. Nomellini.