Tuscany state museums open for Easter weekend, free entry on Easter Sunday

State museums across Tuscany will offer an extended programme of openings over the Easter weekend, including free admission on Easter Sunday and extraordinary openings on Easter Monday.

The initiative combines the national “first Sunday of the month” free-entry scheme with additional holiday openings, creating a four-day opportunity to visit museums, archaeological sites and historic buildings throughout the region.

On Easter Sunday, visitors will be able to enter participating state museums free of charge. On Easter Monday (Pasquetta), museums will remain open with standard ticket prices, often postponing their usual weekly closing day to ensure continuous access over the holiday period.

Florence highlights

In Florence, several major sites will be open throughout the weekend. These include the Museum of San Marco, where visitors can see the newly rearranged room dedicated to Fra Angelico, featuring 33 panel paintings by the Renaissance artist.

The museum is also hosting a special section of the exhibition “Rothko in Florence”, with five works by the American painter on display on the first floor.

The National Archaeological Museum of Florence will be open on both days, with the final days of the exhibition “Icons of Power and Beauty”.

Visitors will also be able to access several Medici villas around the city, including Petraia, Poggio a Caiano and Cerreto Guidi, as well as the garden of the Villa di Castello and the park of Villa Il Ventaglio.

Across Tuscany

The extended openings involve a wide range of sites across Tuscany.

In Arezzo, all state museums will be open on both Easter Sunday and Monday. These include the Archaeological Museum “Gaio Cilnio Mecenate”, hosting the exhibition on the Minerva of Arezzo, and Casa Vasari, where the restored “Camera di Abramo” is again accessible.

In Pisa and the surrounding area, visitors will find the Museum of Ancient Ships, the National Museum of San Matteo and the Certosa of Calci open on both days. The Royal Palace Museum will open on Easter Sunday only.

In Lucca, both the National Museum of Palazzo Mansi and Villa Guinigi will be open, while in Pistoia sites such as the Fortezza di Santa Barbara, the former Church of Tau and the Oratory of San Desiderio will be accessible throughout the weekend.

Other openings include the Etruscan National Museum in Chiusi (province of Siena), the archaeological area of Comeana in the province of Prato, and several archaeological parks in the province of Grosseto, including Roselle, Vetulonia and Cosa.

On the island of Elba, visitors can access the National Museum of Napoleon’s residences at Villa San Martino in Portoferraio, while the Archaeological Museum of Castiglioncello (province of Livorno) will open on Easter Sunday only.

Practical information

• Easter Sunday: free entry to state museums participating in the national initiative
• Easter Monday: extraordinary openings with regular ticket prices
• Opening times: vary by site; visitors are advised to check official museum websites for details

The initiative aims to encourage both residents and visitors to explore Tuscany’s cultural heritage during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year.

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