Click any of the links below for more information about the listed resource, including: contact information, resources offered, terms of access, reproduction services/policies, and closing dates. Please contact the webmaster regarding additions, corrections, or broken/invalid links. Please note that these links are provided for user information but do not constitute professional advice or a formal recommendation. See our Disclaimer for more information.
Archivio Storico del comune di Firenze
Via dell’Oriuolo, 33-35
50122 Florence
T) +39-055-2616527
Website
Visiting Hours:
Monday 9:00 – 15:30; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 9:00 – 18:00; Friday: 9:00 – 15:30
Resources Offered:
The archives contain over 35,000 archives and 47,500 drawings dating from 1782-1960. More information about the archives’ numerous collections can be found here. Once registered and approved, patrons can search the archive’s original collections and request documents from the staff. More information about searching the archives can be found here.
The library has over 8000 books, pamphlets and periodicals, institutional documents, a legal collection. The library’s collection is searchable online, here.
For students, training in archival conservation is also offered in partnership with the University of Florence.
Terms of Access:
The library organizes limited tours for tourists, primary/secondary schools, and universities. Requests for further access than that must be requested in person, in a written letter to the Cultural Director, stating the duration of the research and details of the project.
Reproduction services/policies:
Patrons must get approved by the library Director before reproducing items, and supply their own CDs, DVDs, and/or USB devices. If the library can’t assist with reproducing or copying items, photography is permissible.
Archivio dell’Opera di Santa Croce
Archivio dell’Opera di Santa Croce
Piazza Santa Croce, 16
50122 Florence
T) +39 055 2001642
Email Website
Visiting Hours:
By appointment. Church visiting hours Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 17:00; Sundays and holidays Epiphany (January 6), Assumption (15 August), All Saints (1 November), Immaculate Conception (December 8), 14:00 – 17:00.
Resources Offered:
Documents kept by the Church Works of the Franciscan convent of Santa Croce, including manuscripts, printed matter, photographs, and restoration records.
Terms of Access:
Scholars must apply in writing to Archive staff for access, specifying research project and aims. Students must bring a letter of introduction from adviser. All researchers must present a photo ID.
Closing Dates:
Church closed to visitors New Year’s Day (1st January), Easter, St. Anthony (June 13), St. Francis (4 October), Christmas (December 25th), Boxing Day (December 26).
Archivio dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore di Firenze
Via della Canonica, 1
50122 Florence
T) +39 055 2302885
F) +39 055 2302898
Email Website
Visiting Hours:
Monday: 14:00-18:00; Wednesday: 9:00-13:00; Friday: 9:00-13:00
Resources Offered:
The Archivio storico contains documents related to the activity of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, founded in 1296 to supervise the construction and maintenance of the new Cathedral. The Baptismal Archive includes baptismal registers from the 15th through the early 20th centuries.
Terms of Access:
Patrons must be 18 or older and a photo ID is required. Students must present a letter from their adviser. Reservations are recommended, and can be done via fax or email. Only after receiving a response from an archivist can the reservation be considered valid. Access to the Archives’ photo collection is by appointment only. Individual scholars receive 6 archive requests per day. Patrons may reserve up to 4 volumes for the next visit. Manuscripts in ‘return carts’ cannot be viewed by patrons without prior permission. Computers are available to access the archives’ digital collection; alternatively, patrons may use their own laptops for which WIFI available. The Archives’ library has 3000 volumes and its collection is searchable online.
Archivio di Stato di Firenze
Viale Giovine Italia 5
50122 Florence
T) +39 055 263 201
F) +39 055 234 1159
Website
Visiting Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8.30-18.00; Saturday: 8.45-13.30.
Resources offered:
The Archivio di Stato di Firenze is primarily concerned with Florence and the surrounding 70 km. The archive houses documents from the 8th century to the modern era. The archives houses a diverse number of documents ranging from correspondences, manuscripts, maps, charters, drawings and other historical records related to the political, social, cultural and artistic treasures of Florence and Tuscany.
Terms of access:
The library is open to the general public. To obtain access non-Italians need a letter of presentation and passport. The request for materials should be made early in the morning, generally by 10:00 AM. Requests for materials can be made online using the website listed below.
Location:
The archive is located on the Viale near Piazza Beccaria. It is a 15 minute walk from the city center.
Closing dates:
The archive is closed for three weeks in August and other Italian holidays.
Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana
Piazza San Lorenzo, 9
50123 Florence
T) +39-055210760 – 211590 – 214443
Website
Visiting Hours:
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays : 8.00 am – 2.00 pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays: 8.00 am – 17.30 pm
Resources Offered:
The Library holds around 11,000 manuscripts, 2,500 papyri, 43 ostraka, 566 incunabula, 1,681 sixteenth century printed books, 592 periodicals on related subjects and a total of 126,527 books dating from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. More information.
Terms of Access:
Open to students and scholars who can prove they are conducting research requiring access to manuscripts or rare books. Direct consultation of originals granted only for justified reasons. Black and white microfilms and color slides of manuscript illuminations, papyri, and unbound papers are available. Modern printed material also available, though those books readily accessible elsewhere in Florence may only be consulted by readers studying manuscripts or rare books. Note: Library not easily accessible to those with physical disabilities. In a limited traffic zone, the library is one flight up with no elevator or adapted toilets. Contact the Public Relations Office well in advance to make arrangements for assistance.
To obtain a readers pass, bring photo ID (passport, drivers license) and documentation of affiliation (letter of introduction, university ID). Be prepared to specify subject/scope of research and type material desired. Students should also provide a letter of recommendation on letterhead from research adviser describing student’s curriculum, ability to work with manuscripts or rare books, and approximate time needed for research.
Reproduction services/policies:
The library’s manuscripts and certain other material have been microfilmed/photographed. The library has a microfilm, photograph, and slide collection that is accessible to the public. For a fee, copies can be obtained for research or publication purposes. More information about fees and their associated forms are available here, under “Services and Facilities.”
Closing Dates:
Closed from September 1-15 and on religious and civic holidays: January 1 and 6; April 25; May 1; June 2; August 15; November 1; December 8, 25, and 26. On June 24th, the library is open, however, only “essential services are provided.”
Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze
Piazza dei Cavalleggeri 1
50122 Florence
Switchboard Telephone: +39 055 249 191
General Information: +39 055 249 19280/+39 055 249 19267
F) +39 055 234 2482
Website
Visiting Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:15 – 19; Saturday 8:15 – 13:30
Resources offered:
The Biblioteca Nazionale houses a variety of documents and primary sources related to Florentine history. There is a collection of newspapers and magazines from 1886 to the present. There are also various other periodicals; manuscripts; musical recordings and scores; and a collection of drawings.
Terms of access:
The library is open to the general public. To obtain access only a photo ID is required. For non-Italians the preferred form of photo identification is a passport. While not necessary, a letter of presentation is appreciated by the staff. There are different levels of reading card. Scholars wishing to use the Sala Manoscritti should make that known at application. Access cards (tessere) can be obtained Monday-Friday 8:15 – 14 and 14:30 – 17 and Saturday 8:15 – 13.
Reproduction Services/policies:
Photocopies are not allowed, but users may request digital scans or photographs of library collections. Ph.D. theses may only be copied with written permission from the author. Requests cannot be made by phone but must be submitted directly to library staff or sent by e-mail, fax or letter. Separate rules apply whether for study or publication purposes.
Location:
The library is located near Piazza Santa Croce along the Lungarno. The library is a 10 minute walk from the Piazza del Duomo. There are various bus lines that will stop near the library.
Closing dates:
The archive is closed the month of August and other Italian holidays.
Biblioteca delle Oblate
Via dell’Oriuolo, 26
50122 Florence
T) +39 055 261 6512
F) +39 055 261 6519
Email Website
Visiting Hours:
Monday: 14.00 – 19.00, reading room open until 22.00; Tuesday-Saturday: 9.00 – 24.00
Resources offered:
The Biblioteca delle Oblate is a general use library. The majority of the volumes housed are in Italian. The library’s key feature is a loggia on the second floor with a vista of Brunelleschi’s cupola. The library offers three (3) hours of free wi-fi a day.
Terms of access:
The library is open to the general public. To obtain access only a photo ID is required. For non-Italians the preferred form of photo identification is a passport.
Location:
The library is located near Piazza Piazza del Duomo in the heart of the city center. It is a five minute walk from the Duomo.
Closing dates:
The library is closed Sundays and other Italian holidays.
Fondazione Longhi
The Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi was founded in 1971 by the last will and testament of Roberto Longhi. He left his library, photo library, and collection of art to the foundation “for the benefit of future generations.” The headquarters is the villa “Il Tasso” which Longhi acquired in 1939. This villa was the residence of Longhi and his wife Lucia Lopresti (the writer Anna Banti) who left the villa and its furnishings to the foundation.
Fondazione Longhi
Via Benedetto Fortini, 30
50125 Firenze
T) +39 055 6580794
Email Website
Visiting Hours:
By appointment.
The Longhi photo library is open to the public on Wednesday from 9:30 AM to 12:30 AM on an appointment basis.
The Longhi Foundation’s library is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM and from 2:00 to 5:30 PM on an appointment basis.
The Longhi Archive is currently closed.
Resources Offered:
The Fondazione Longhi hosts exhibits, publications, lessons, conferences, seminars and scholarly meetings and offers fellowships.
A photocopy service is available on site. Photographs can be made upon request and at individual expense by the Foundation’s authorized photographer.
Terms of Access:
Scholars must apply in writing for access, specifying research project and aims.
Closing Dates:
Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz
Library
Max-Planck-Institut
Via Giuseppe Giusti 44
50121 Florence
T) +39 055 249 111
Fototeca
Palazzo Grifoni Budini Gattai
Via dei Servi 51
50122 Florence
T) +39 055 216 707
Website
Resources offered:
A library with over 310,000 volumes and over 1,000 ongoing journal subscriptions. Note: There is no wireless internet access at the Kunst.
Terms of access:
Patrons need an ID card to access the collection. ID cards are issued Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM and Wednesdays from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Graduate students need to submit a short outline of their research project when applying for an ID card. A letter of presentation or recommendation is also required. Users must also submit a passport-sized photograph when applying for an ID card.
Location:
The Kunsthistorisches Library and Fototeca as located within the historic center of Florence near Pizza Santissima Annunziata, between the Piazza del Duomo and Viale G. Matteotti.
Closing dates:
The Kunsthistorisches Institut is open in August with limited hours. A complete list of closing dates can be found at http://www.khi.fi.it/pdf/KHI_Schliesstage_2011.pdf
Nederlands Interuniversitair Kunsthistorisch Instituut te Florence (NIKI)
Library
Viale Torricelli 5
50125 Florence
T) +39 055 221 612
Website
Visiting Hours:
Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 13:00 13:30 – 17:30
Resources offered:
There are over 50,000 monographs; 250 journals; 1,000 microfiche, CD-ROM and videos; and 5,000 auction catalogs. The focus on the library is the artistic relationship between Northern and Southern Europe. Included in the collection are sections devoted to graphic arts, drawing and iconology. In recent years, the library has seen a substantial increase in publications related to modern and contemporary art.
Terms of access:
To access the library both a form of photo identification, generally a passport, and a letter of presentation.
Location:
The library is located on the south side of the city outside the old city walls. The closest bus stops are Piazzale Galileo (#12 or #13) and Via del Gelsomino (#37) from the city center going toward Due Strade/Tavarnuzze.
Closing dates:
The Dutch University Institute is closed the entire month of August as well as other Italian holidays.
Villa I Tatti
Library/Fototeca
Via di Vincigliata 22
50135 Florence
T )+39 055 603 251
Website
Resources offered:
The focus of the I Tatti collection focuses primarily on Italy during the “long” Renaissance from roughly 1200 to 1650, and on closely associated subjects. The library is wired for wireless Internet access and must be set up at the time you apply for your ID card.
Terms of access:
The library is open to graduate students holding at least a Master’s degree or its equivalent. All patrons who are not associated with Harvard should present a letter of presentation. The reader’s card is valid for one year and renewable without limit.
Location:
The library is located between Florence and Fiesole. It can be reached from the city center using the #10 line to the Ponte a Mensola 01 stop. The Villa I Tatti is a 10 minute walk up the hill.
Closing dates:
The Villa I Tatti is closed the entire month of August as well as other American and Italian holidays. A full listing of closing days is available at the guard desk at I Tatti.
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