Historical Archive and Research Department

HISTORICAL ARCHIVE

Following the Unification of Italy, the archives of the Grand Duchy were merged into the State Archives; these included the resources of the Medici, Imperial and Royal Court ‘Guardaroba’ (storage room), essential to any study into the works of the Galleries originating from the collections of the Grand Duchy.

The transfer of the Medici and Lorena archives was concluded in 1892, leaving two sections in the Galleries considered at the time as the “current” archive: the first houses the archive containing the documents referring to museums from the Lorena and pre-unification era and is still an ‘open’ archive, while the second, housed in the Pitti Palace, comprised the Gallery inventories drafted during unification.

The indexes of the first section (1737-1955) which form the Historical Archive of the Florentine Galleries is now available online.

RESEARCH DEPARTMENT

The Research Department is responsible for cataloging the archives with the aim of protecting and understanding the historic and artistic heritage of the works, as well as preserving and enhancing this heritage.

The Department offers access to approximately 160,000 paper records of works in the Florentine Galleries and throughout the regions of Florence, Prato and Pistoia. The databases can be accessed at the Department or online and include around 200,000 records of works housed in state museums across Florence, Prato and Pistoia.

The Research Department is also home to the Regional Historical Archive, a publicly accessible resource of historical records and documents relating to the historical and artistic heritage of the Florence, Prato and Pistoia regions. Ordered topographically, among other things the archive contains the records of Carlo Pini and Ferdinando Rondoni, written immediately after Tuscany was annexed to the Realm of Italy, and the records of Guido Carocci dating back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

OPENING HOURS

Wednesday 9 am-1.30 pm

BOOKING

Admission is allowed by appointment only. To make an appointment, please write to simona.pasquinucci@cultura.gov.it or francesca.moschi@cultura.gov.it In order to ease the operations, please specify the research topic and, if known, also the inventory number in the subject of the email.

RULES FOR ADMISSION AND CONSULTATION

Admission is allowed only via the Reception located under the external colonnade of the Uffizi next to the Paolucci Auditorium.

CONTACTS

Historical Archive  +39 055 2388703 | +39 055 2388705

ga-uff.catalogo@cultura.gov.it

Research Department +39 0552388706 | +39 055 2388688 |