HZERO: A New Museum in Florence Centered on an Enormous Model Train Layout

Opening on May 29, 2022, HZERO is a new museum in Florence dedicated to an extraordinary 280-square-meter model train layout, one of the largest in Europe. The project originates from the dream of late entrepreneur Giuseppe Paternò Castello di San Giuliano, who began building the miniature railway in 1972. After his death four years ago, his children Diego, Giulia, and Maria have brought the vision to completion. The museum is curated by Alberto Salvadori, former director of the Museo Marino Marini and current director of Fondazione ICA Milano. HZERO is located in the former Cinema Ariston on Piazza degli Ottaviani, near Piazza Santa Maria Novella and the train station. Salvadori describes the space as a "place linked to a person's dream" that combines ludic, high-tech, and manual craftsmanship. The layout is almost entirely hand-built with custom components, managed by software similar to that used by Italian State Railways. The museum will feature immersive and sensory experiences, with sound compositions by Tempo Reale and multimedia design by Karmachina. It includes an educational department offering programs for autistic children, a small auditorium for exhibitions and talks, and aims to highlight the importance of play. Salvadori notes that Hamburg's model railway museum attracted about 1.6 million visitors annually before the pandemic, suggesting HZERO could draw significant crowds and fill a gap in Florence's historic center.