Commissioned in 1444 by Cosimo the Elder, the residence of the Medici family constitutes a model of civil architecture in the Renaissance. Not only private residence of the members of the family, among which Lorenzo the Magnificent, the palace performs its public function by welcoming important political figures.
The monumental courtyard of the palace leads up to the Chapel of the Magi, built to a design by Michelozzo and frescoed in 1459 by Benozzo Gozzoli with the Procession of the Magi. On the altar is a copy of the original altarpiece painted by Filippo Lippi.
The Sala Sonnino on the first floor is decorated with a series of 31 low reliefs probably produced by the workshop of Bartolomeo Ammannati under the strong influence of Michelangelo. The Sala Sonnino leads into the Gallery, its vault is embellished with frescoes by Luca Giordano representing the Apology of the Medici Family, the protectors of the Riccardi. Three rooms in the palace basement house the Roman sculptures collected in the 16th–17th centuries by the Riccardi family.
The museum organizes activities and workshops for families with children and school groups.
From 2 November 2023, the entrance to the museum is temporarily moved to Via Ginori 2.
Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Via Camillo Cavour, 3, 50129 Firenze FI, Italia
The entrance is in Via Ginori n. 2 (backside of the palace). The ticket office is in the courtyard, on the left. Access to the first floor is possible thanks to an elevator, supporting only standard manual wheelchairs. The museum provides visitors using electric wheelchairs with a manual wheelchair to access the elevator, visit all the rooms and the Benozzo Gozzoli Chapel, all of them accessible.
Disabled toilets are located next to the elevator, ground floor.
Please, inform the staff before your arrival, in order to organize your visit as well as possible.
