Simone Verde outlines ambitious plans for Uffizi Galleries

Simone Verde, the new director of the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, has presented his vision for the museum's future. Succeeding Eike Schmidt in early 2024, Verde aims to position the Uffizi as the central hub of Italy's national museum system. The museum recorded over 5 million visitors and €60 million in revenue in 2023. Verde's projects include opening a study center named after Antonio Paolucci, creating a section dedicated to collection history, reviving the Treasury of the Grand Dukes and Palazzo Pitti, and opening storage areas to the public for the first time. He also plans to enhance the Boboli Gardens with three new projects and expand the Uffizi Diffusi initiative to Careggi and Montelupo. Verde is monitoring the renovation of the Vasari Corridor, aiming for a reopening in 2024 after years of delays. He declined to comment on the rejected Isozaki Loggia project, noting that it was designed for 1.2 million visitors while the museum now receives 5 million. Verde also announced a weekly evening opening for Florentines and the dematerialization of tickets to manage visitor flows.