The Stibbert Museum in Florence is named after Frederick Stibbert and is housed in the Villa Montughi, which this Scottish freebooter had inherited from his Italian mother. The collection, spread over 60 rooms, is highly eclectic, with the highlight being a collection of harnesses from all over the world.
Facts Stibbert Museum Florence
Address, opening hours and admission
The address of the Museo Stibbert is Via Federigo Stibbert 26 – 50134 Firenze. Tel. +39055475520. Bus: 4. Opening hours are Monday to Wednesday from 10:00 to 14:00 and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on Thursday. 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 15 August, 25 December closed. Admission: 8 Euro (children between 4 and 12 years old 6 Euro; children 0-3 years old free). One can only enter with a one hour tour. The Japanese part is not included in this tour. If you would like to see this, you will have to pay an extra 150 Euro per group.
History Stibbert Museum
Stibbert (1838-1906) was an artist as well as an art collector, an ardent traveller and brave warrior in the army of Garibaldi. Both his grandfather and his father had military backgrounds. When his mother, who was of Tuscan descent, died, she left him a fortune, as well as the house which, together with the adjacent villa he bought there, would later be turned into the Stibbert Museum.
The collection consists of some 50,000 paintings, Flemish tapestries, crucifixes, porcelain and Etruscan objects, divided over a total of 57 rooms.
The collection of armour in the Stibbert Museum is unique and covers the whole world, from ancient Etruscan and Roman to 15th century Turkish and 17th century Florentine pieces. The collection of Japanese weapons and armour is the largest in the world.
The main attraction of the museum is a hall with a long row of mannequins in 16th century harnesses. Most of them come from different European countries, but there are also some Japanese samurais.
Garden
The garden of the Villa Montughi is free. It was designed by Giuseppe Poggi and is open from April to October from 08:00 to 19:00 and from November to March from 08:00 to 15:00. On days when the museum is closed (see above) the garden cannot be visited, however.