Things to do in Genoa, Liguria: The Best Art Museums

Palazzo Tursi Since 2004, the Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi – the three historical, municipally-owned stately homes in the 16th-century Strada Nuova – constitute a continuous exhibition devoted to ancient art: the Museums of Strada Nuova. The Palazzo Rosso, historical residence of the Brignole Sale family, and the Palazzo Bianco, a prestigious art gallery, have been open to the public since the end of the 19th century; the Palazzo Tursi, the seat of the Municipality, hosts a museum as well as cultural and official events. Joint in a continuous exhibition path, the three buildings retain their own specific historical features and collections, transforming the Strada Nuova into a real ‘museum-street’: a masterpiece of the Genoese architectural and residential tradition, with a cultural establishment unique in size, features, quality and prestige. The Museums of Strada Nuova also provide cafeteria services and bookshops.

Villa del Principe - Palazzo di Andrea Doria is the richest and most sumptuos noble household of the city of Genoa, the Villa of the only Prince Genoa ever had. It was 1529 when Andrea Doria, skilful admiral and legendary man of arms, began the constructions that would have lead to the rise of this wonderful Villa overlooking the Gulf of Genoa. To live its splendour once again it is sufficient to stroll through its halls, in wonder in front of its amazing fresco paintings and incredible tapestries.

First based on the collection of the Prince Oddone of Savoy and subsequent bequeaths and purchases, the Gallery is housed in the 16th-century Villa Saluzzo in Nervi, with over 2,500 pieces, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and engravings from the beginning of the 19th century up to the present day. Many artists are featured, including Nicolò Barabino, Ernesto Rayper, Alfredo D’Andrade, Vincenzo Cabianca, Plinio Nomellini, Rubaldo Merello, Fortunato Depero, Felice Casorati, Filippo De Pisis, Francesco Messina, Eugenio Baroni, Arturo Martini, Renato Guttuso, Mario Mafai, Corrado Cagli.

The DOCSAI centre is located in the annexes of the Palazzo Rosso, the least visible of the three buildings of the complex constructed for the Brignole-Sale family between the 17th and 18th century. The DOCSAI Centre (Documentation Center for the History, Art and Image) of Genoa consists of three sections: - Art History Library - Cartographic and Topographical Collections - The Photo Archive and GenovaFotografia

The museum will be closed from Saturday 6 July to Monday 30 September for extraordinary maintenance of the spaces

Set between the Cathedral and the nearby Palazzo Ducale, the cloister of San Lorenzo was built in the 12th century on the site of the ancient Carolingean defense walls as the residence of the priests serving the Cathedral. The structure of the building is rather complex due to the works of various restorations throughout the centuries. The first restoration works began in the XVI century; in 1653 two floors were added and thus the airy Romanesque loggias of ambulatories were substituted with broad and massive arches supported by strong pillars. Sold to the City in 1923, the cloister was accurately restored between 1988 and 1992. This project was preceded by archeological investigations which uncovered the remains of a house dating from the Roman era (1st c. BC). On the upper floors, the walls show precious wall paintings dating from the 13th century, such as the rare Cycle of the Months. The cloister houses the Diocesan Museum, which displays works from all the churches of the Dioceses, including archeological finds; silver ornaments; sculpture groups, such as the Sepulchral Monument to Luca Fieschi; works with gold-leaf backgrounds, such as the Polyptych of Saint Bartholomew, by Barnaba da Modena (14th c.); and numerous altar pieces by artists such as Perin del Vaga, Luca Cambiaso, Domenico Fiasella, Domenico Piola, and Gregorio De Ferrari. The Museum also houses a valuable textile section and the collection of the Teli della Passione, (Cloths of the Passion), painted in 1538 on indigo blue linen, an “ancestor” of the modern denim (Textile Collection, The Regional Board for the Historical, Artistic, and Ethno-Anthropological Heritage of Liguria, in the depository of the Diocesan Museum).