Casa Museo Palazzo Chigi Zondadari Opens in Siena on May 8

On May 8, the Casa Museo Palazzo Chigi Zondadari opens to the public in Siena's Piazza del Campo. The palace, historically closed to visitors, now houses a permanent collection of modern and ancient art on its noble floor. President Flavio Misciattelli, also head of Fondazione Pastificio Cerere in Rome, notes the challenges of opening the building due to delicate Cordovan leather walls and painted floors; initially, access will be limited to small groups for a few morning hours. The museum will operate from May to October 31, aligning with tourist flows. The palace, built in the 14th century and remodeled in 1724 by Antonio Valeri, features late Roman Baroque architecture, frescoes by Placido Costanzi, and works by Marco Benefial and Giuseppe Colignon. Misciattelli has also launched Cortemporanea, a parallel contemporary art project with site-specific installations in the internal courtyard, starting with Pietro Ruffo's "Never too Young to make a difference" on opening day. Ruffo previously exhibited at Pastificio Cerere in the early 2000s, which led to the foundation's creation. The foundation aims to revitalize Siena's cultural scene, which suffered after the Monte dei Paschi bank crisis and pandemic. On the same day, contemporary art gallery FuoriCampo will open its new space in Siena.