CAMBIO Cultural Center Opens in Castelfiorentino with New Spaces

CAMBIO – Centro Culturale, a new cultural and social hub, has opened in the historic center of Castelfiorentino (Florence), managed by Fondazione Cambiano. The center occupies the former Cinema Puccini, a 19th-century building long unused. On October 4, 2025, newly renovated spaces were inaugurated, including exhibition areas, a library, educational rooms, and a conference hall. The 2,000-square-meter venue now houses a permanent collection from Banca Cambiano and temporary exhibitions, starting with a Robert Doisneau show. Additional facilities include a photography hub (Polo della Fotografia) run by Gruppo Fotografico Giglio Rosso, a darkroom, and a space for the Fondo David Bastianoni (33,000 images from the 1940s-50s). The center also hosts the Società Storica della Valdelsa, the Archivio Storico della Filarmonica Giuseppe Verdi, and a future Cantiere delle Idee Cambiano. A restaurant and cocktail bar called CORALE, overseen by chef Simone Cipriani, and Caffè del Teatro on the square complement the cultural offerings. The project aims to serve the local community while reaching a regional and national audience, as stated by director Maria Cristina Giglioli. Castelfiorentino, with 18,000 inhabitants, has a strong cultural tradition including the Teatro del Popolo (reopened in 2019), Museo Benozzo Gozzoli, and Museo di Santa Verdiana.