Palazzo Blu
The name comes from a colour: during restoration, workers stripped back the facade and found a deep blue beneath, left by Russian owners who passed through in the eighteenth century. That shade still defines the building on Lungarno Gambacorti, where it has stood since Doge Giovanni dell'Agnello raised it in 1356 over a cluster of medieval tower houses.
Inside, the layers keep accumulating — a Picture Gallery on the top floor, a basement full of archaeological finds from local excavations, and a hall decorated in 1903 for a ball thrown by the Counts Giuli. The herringbone pavement outside includes tiles that date to the twelfth century.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to head straight for the basement, where thirteenth-century flooring from the ancient via Æmilia Scauri sits visible beneath the Harpy carved by Tribolo, a pupil of Michelangelo. The bookshop is genuinely worth a slow look, and the café is a reasonable place to sit before walking the Lungarno.
The story behind Palazzo Blu
The site has been occupied since at least the eleventh century, positioned at the foot of a bridge that crossed the Arno as early as the tenth century, facing the old Porta Aurea of the pre-communal city. The stone tower-house core dates to the twelfth century. In 1356, Doge Giovanni dell'Agnello consolidated and expanded the structure into a palace. In 1495, King Charles VIII of France stayed here during his Italian campaign, which ended Florentine control over Pisa.
Ownership passed through the Bracci Cambini family — whose coat of arms, painted by Antonio Niccolini, still decorates an interior wall — then to Milanese count Luigi Archinto, and finally to the Counts Giuli Rosselmini Gualandi. Count Domenico Giuli purchased a neighbouring alley in 1864 and added an eastern wing to symmetrise the facade. After decades of neglect, the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Pisa acquired it in 2001 and reopened it to the public in 2008.
Good to know
Open Tuesday to Friday 10am–7pm, Saturday and Sunday until 8pm; last entry one hour before closing. Bus lines 4, 13, and LAM ROSSA stop nearby. Pisa Centrale is a fifteen-minute walk. Allow one to two hours. Guided tours require advance booking.
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What travellers say about Palazzo Blu
I wandered into this Palazzo with no idea what it would be like. A very interesting museum with beautiful art and collections of antique furniture displayed in a variety of rooms demonstrating how tge family lived. Particularly stunning dining room and I enjoyed the variety of paintings with no fixed theme which maintained the interest factor. I ended up spending just under 2 hours here. Even the descriptions of the coin collection were of interest as they highlighted the history of imagery on coinage specifically explaining the origin of "moneta"...and I am not usually particularly drawn to coins. Would definitely recommed a visit here
Nice museum, I spent about an hour wandering round but could've definitely stayed longer. Gorgeous rooms and displays, with most of the information boards in Italian and English. Loved learning about the different periods and movements in art. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the entry fee wasn't too expensive. Nice addition to a day out in Pisa :)
Really worth the hype! 🖼️ The tickets are not expensive at all, and you get to see a lot of cool paintings and some artwork. I fell in love with the “Leisure Room”, it looked quite charming and cozy. I also liked the section they devoted to history of the first and second World Wars. We should always take some time to appreciate and remember the efforts that people put to dismantle fascism and dictatorships. I learned a lot thanks to this visit!
We were charged for a ticket around the Museum rather than for the Belle Epoque exhibition we originally wanted to see. Despite us realising the mistake within a minute they wouldn't refund the museum tickets so we could buy the Epoque tickets, there wasn't time left to do both in any case before closing. However our unexpected Museum visit turned out to be good value with an interesting look around the old house rooms and paintings. just be careful that the tickets the inflexible lady on the desk is selling you are the actual ones you think you are asking for.
The museum is lovely but be careful when buying tickets. I thought I had bought one for all the exhibitions and when I realised my mistake the staff member refused to just let me pay the difference, so nstead of 12 euros I ended up having to pay 17 euros. He also quite rudely kept saying 'look at my face, 2 different tickets'.
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