PARMA, THE MUSEUMS TO VISIT
Parma is the city of art, and visiting its museums is practically a must.
From the paintings by Parmigianino to those by Correggio, Parma is a treasure chest.
Parma museums: where to go
Galleria Nazionale nel Palazzo della Pilotta
PARMA MUSEUMS. PILOTTA PALACE
The first must-see in Parma is the Pillotta Palace, a majestic place which allows you to retrace the history and the art of the city through the masterpieces on display in the National Gallery of Parma, the National Archaeological Museum, the Palatina Library and the Farnese Theatre.
The National Gallery of Parma– the main nucleus of its collections comes from the collection of works and precious objects belonging to the powerful Farnese family, who moved from Rome to Parma in the mid-17thcentury.
It’s the most important museum of the city of Parma, and in its collection it boasts masterpieces by Beato Angelico, Canaletto, Guercino, Leonardo da Vinci, Parmigianino, Tintoretto, Correggio and many more.
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The National Archaeological Museum of Parma– founded in 1760, it is one of the oldest museums in Italy and is a point of reference for the archaeological researches of the territory which was part of the Duchy of Parma.
The Palatina Library– officially inaugurated in 1769 in the presence of the Emperor of Austria Joseph II, it is frescoed with scenes from Dante’s Divine Comedy and preserves antique bookcases.
Nowadays the Library houses more than 700,000 volumes, 3,000 incunabula, 6,600 manuscripts, 50,000 prints, and illuminated manuscripts.
The Farnese Theatre– located next to the Palatina Library, the Farnese Theatre is a place in which you can retrace thesplendoursof the court life of the Farnese Dukes.
During XXII it was almost completely destroyed, but it was rebuilt and today the building is one of the most amazing theatres of the 17thcentury.
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Teatro Regio di Parma
ARTURO TOSCANINI BIRTHPLACE AND MUSEUM
The great conductor Arturo Toscanini was born in Parma on March 25th1867, and nowadays his house is a museum devoted to him.
The rooms of his modest house now tells the story of a life dedicated to music, exhibiting objects belonging to the Maestro and describing his amazing life.
GLAUCO LOMBARDI MUSEUM
Established thanks to the Glauco Lombardi (1881-1970) private collection this is the museum to visit to discover Parma through an important protagonist of its story: Marie Louise of Austria.
The Congress of Vienna assigned the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla to Napoleon’s wife who ruled it from 1814 to 1847.
She dedicated herself to her small reign by carrying out public works and by building monuments which still today are part of the life of this territory.
This museum not only illustrates the important novelties Marie Louise brought to Parma, but also aspects of her private life thanks to the exhibition of diaries, jewellery and objects describing the personality of an historical figure who was the witness to the main events of her time.
READ ALSO – What to do in Parma: discovering Correggio’s masterpieces
CupoIa della Camera di San Paolo. Image source: Wikipedia-org
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