Articles in Florence
Gucci Museum’s Creative Kids
Florence’s Museo Gucci launches a childrens’ activity program (in Italian) called CreaKids. Art and creativity, exploration of the city and of legends are at the base of three thematic workshops offered by the fashion brand’s museum in Florence.
Rucellai Chapel and Alberti’s Tempietto del Santo Sepolcro now open to the public
It has never been open to the public with regular hours… until now. Alberti’s tiny scale copy of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is located inside the Rucellai Chapel, which in turn is part of the Church of San Pancrazio (now deconsecrated and home to the Museo Marino Marini) in Florence. It …
Red walls and new neighbours for Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo
There’s a lot of talk online about the new room created to house Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo at the Uffizi. One room over from the small bland “Room formerly known as 35″ that used to house this masterpiece is the new, red, brightly lit Room 35 that has been set up first and foremost to provide …
Cindy Sherman Early Works at Gucci Museum
A lot of modern and contemporary art is about the sense of self. Cindy Sherman, who works almost exclusively using herself as a model, is, unquestionably, about identity. And as such, I feel authorized to reflect on her work in relation to… myself.
The Uffizi, alchemy and art in the Cinquecento
If I say “alchemy,” what do you think of? Pseudo-science? Strange boiling liquids? Magic? A mad attempt to turn everything into gold? All of these associations are more or less correct, though if today alchemy has some negative connotations, in Early Modern Europe it was a much more respectable tradition. Knowing this, you might be …
Get to know Gaddi up close at Santa Croce
When Agnolo Gaddi and his workshop painted the high chapel at the Church of Santa Croce in Florence with scenes from the Legend of the True Cross, he included all sorts of details – an ear through a transparent veil, a squirrel up a tree, a black rooster and some sawdust – that would never …
Florence with children from Christmas 2012 to Epiphany
If you are staying in Florence with your children during the 2012 holidays or you are coming here from abroad, here you can find loads of culture and sports to do with your children in town, in order to have fun and learn new things together.
Here is a day by day calendar of Florence events …
Lost Florence – comparing past and present of the city in paintings
Ever wondered how Florence looked a hundred years ago, or more? Various paintings in Florentine galleries and churches show recognizable scenes of Florence that are fun to compare to the present day. For the holiday season 2012, the state museums of Florence are offering a free map to visitors of Palazzo Pitti to get out …
December and Christmas 2012 with children in Florence
This is my second post about pre-Christmas initiatives for children in Florence and I’m not going to repeat the ones suggested in last year’s post. I’ll tell you what I’m planning to do this year with 4 year old Francesco.
If you want activities for kids between Christmas 2012 and Epiphany 2013 click here.
Did you know that Florence has a planetarium?
It’s called La Fondazione Scienza e Tecnica di Firenze e il Planetario and it’s Florence’s planetarium; the institute has been around since the 80s while the planetarium (of the ZEISS ZKP2 type, apparently) opened in 2002.
The 8 meter diameter cupola allows kids and adults to see the night sky in simulation. While activity concentrates on …
Public art and the Piazza – Paladino in Santa Croce
The topic of this month’s Italy Roundtable is the piazza, and Florens 2012 handed me the perfect solution to what to write. On the occasion of the Biennial of cultural and environmental heritage, Fondazione Florens commissioned an impactful work of public art by the Italian contemporary artist Mimmo Paladino. Piazza Santa Croce became a magical …
Heading into Florens 2012
I’m heading into a deep tunnel of work, but it’s a good thing. That’s because I’m leading a social media team of 21 people at the major international conference and event, Florens 2012, from November 3-11. Florens is a week dedicated to cultural heritage and economy – more specifically where the two meet (I’ve reflected …
ArtTrav is a blog about expat life, art, and travel in Italy and Europe. I am Alexandra Korey, a Florence-based art historian turned blogger.
My goal is to help travelers and residents like you experience countries through culture and local living. If it takes geeky, long articles to do that, so be it! 
