Christmas and New Year 2017-2018 for exhibitions and museums: here's who stays open

There are several museums and exhibitions that will keep their doors open to the public during the holiday season. Here are some suggestions for an art-filled vacation.

In Rome, the Vatican Museums close Dec. 25, 26, Jan. 1 and 6, while on Dec. 24 and 31 they remain open until 3:30 p.m. State museums and civic museums are also closed, while all are open on Dec. 31. Those who are in town but still want to spend a day of art can head to the Scuderie del Quirinale(Picasso exhibition), with openings on Dec. 25 (4 to 8 p.m.) and Jan. 1 (4 to 8 p.m.), or to the Palazzo delle Esposizioni (open Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, also from 4 to 8 p.m.). Also open is the Vittoriano (both Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m.) where the Monet exhibition and the exhibition on Leica’s 100 years of photography can be visited. Also open for the Chiostro del Bramante with the Enjoy exhibition, on Christmas from 4 to 9 p.m. and on New Year’s Eve from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Exhibitions in the Guido Reni District are also open on both Christmas (3 to 6 p.m.) and New Year’s Eve (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

In Milan, Palazzo Reale is open with its exhibitions, from Dentro Caravaggio(our review here) to the monograph on Toulouse-Lautrec, and doors are also open at Palazzo Marino with its traditional Christmas “ostension.” Several civic museums open, such as the Pac (Pavilion of Contemporary Art), the Museo del Novecento, and Mudec. Also open is the Museo della Permanente where the exhibition on Utagawa Kuniyoshi is underway.

In Florence, all state museums and civic museums will be closed (moreover, this year Christmas and New Year’s Eve fall on a Monday, the day they are usually closed to the public). Art lovers can make up for it, however, with the exhibition on the Florentine 16th century at Palazzo Strozzi(here is our review), which is open, and doors are also open at Palazzo Medici Riccardi as well as at the multimedia multimedia Monet Experience, which can be visited from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.30, with last entry at the ticket office at 6:30 p.m. for all holidays, on Christmas Eve, December 31, New Year’s Eve and Epiphany (on Christmas Day, however, the entrance time is postponed to 2 p.m., as is also the closing time set for 8:15 p.m., with last entry at the ticket office at 7 p.m.). Regular openings, on the other hand, for New Year’s Eve and Boxing Day, albeit with modified hours. On January 1 all state museums remain closed, while some of the civic museums are open (Palazzo Vecchio from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Museo del Novecento from 2 to 6 p.m., Cenacolo di Ognissanti and Cenacolo di San Salvi from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Museo Archeologico Nazionale from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). If you are in Florence on January 6 also do not miss the traditional Procession of the Magi (museums will be open that day).

Those who are planning a vacation in Venice can go to the civic museums that will observe special opening days, namely at the Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr, Ca’ Pesaro, Museo del Vetro, Museo del Settecento Veneziano at Ca’ Rezzonico, and Centro Culturale Candiani in Mestre: all open on both December 25 and January 1.

For those going to Turin, on the other hand, the choice is the National Cinema Museum or the Pinacoteca Albertina, open on December 25. By contrast, the Egyptian Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Museum of the Risorgimento open only on January 1. The Reggia di Venaria Reale closes on Christmas but is open for New Year’s Eve, opening from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open instead on both Christmas and New Year’s Eve for the Miró exhibition at Palazzo Chiablese.

In Genoa, only the Galata Museo del Mare remains open on Dec. 25 (10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.), while on Jan. 1 all civic and state museums will be closed. However, it is possible to visit the Domenico Piola exhibition at Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino (closed on the 25th but open on New Year’s Eve, from 3 to 6 p.m.: here is our review). On New Year’s Eve extraordinary openings also for the Palazzi dei Rolli (information on the official municipal website Visit Genoa).

Many museums in Naples also open their doors during the holidays. The Maschio Angioino with the Ligabue exhibition opens Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Palazzo delle Arti opens on the 25th from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and on Jan. 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Also open for Castel dell’Ovo (hours 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on holidays) and the Monumental Complex of San Domenico Maggiore (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.). Closed instead on both Christmas and New Year’s Day is the National Museum of Capodimonte. The Royal Palace of Venaria Reale closes on Christmas but is open on New Year’s Eve, opening from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In Palermo, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, which opens its doors on both Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, is noteworthy.

Finally, events around Italy include openings for the exhibition on the Via Emilia in Reggio Emilia (Palazzo dei Musei, reduced hours), “Mutina splendidissima” in Modena (at the Foro Boario, with hours from 4 to 8 p.m.), the exhibition on Carlo Bononi at the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara (with special opening until 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, here is our review), and the exhibition on Ambrogio Lorenzetti in Siena (Santa Maria della Scala), during the holidays open every day except Christmas(here is our review).

Christmas and New Year 2017-2018 for exhibitions and museums: here's who stays open

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