Kunsthistorisches Institut opens fourth Florence location with 630,000 photos and 160,000 books
The Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut (KHI) inaugurated its fourth Florence location on October 21, 2024, at via Gustavo Modena 13. The four-story, 2,000-square-meter building from the late 19th century houses around 150 staff and preserves the institute's entire photographic collection (over 630,000 photographs) and about 40% of its library (over 160,000 volumes). Renovated over two years by Passaleva Associati in collaboration with the MPG Building Department and KHI, the space includes two climate-controlled cells for photographic negatives, designed with the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics in Stuttgart. The building is connected to the national GARR high-capacity network. It hosts two of KHI's three active research groups: Ethico-Aesthetics of the Visual, led by Hana Gründler, and Coded Objects, led by Anna-Maria Meister. Additional amenities include a kitchen, children's play area, and nursing station. The site was acquired at auction in 2015 and previously housed private residences and regional archives. Executive director Gerhard Wolf called the new building "a promise and a commitment to the future."
Key facts
- Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut opened its fourth Florence location on October 21, 2024
- The address is via Gustavo Modena 13, in a strategic area between the historic center, Piazza della Libertà, and the Viali
- The four-story building dates from the second half of the 19th century and covers over 2,000 square meters
- Approximately 150 scholars, researchers, technicians, and experts work there
- The institute was founded in 1897 and has been part of the Max Planck Society since 2002
- The building houses the entire photographic collection of over 630,000 photographs and about 160,000 volumes (40% of the library)
- Two climate-controlled cells for photographic negatives were designed with the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics in Stuttgart
- The renovation was carried out by Passaleva Associati over two years, following acquisition at auction in 2015
- Two research groups are based there: Ethico-Aesthetics of the Visual (directed by Hana Gründler) and Coded Objects (directed by Anna-Maria Meister)
- The building is connected to the national GARR high-capacity network
Entities
Artists
- Hana Gründler
- Anna-Maria Meister
- Gerhard Wolf
Institutions
- Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut
- Max Planck Society
- Passaleva Associati
- Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics
- Consortium GARR
- Regione Toscana
- Artribune
Locations
- Florence
- Italy
- via Gustavo Modena 13
- Piazza San Marco
- Piazza della Libertà
- Viali
- via Giusti
- Palazzo Capponi-Incontri
- Palazzo Grifoni Budini Gattai
- Piazza Santissima Annunziata
- Stuttgart
- Germany