Official Information
Official website: https://palazzoblu.it/
Online tickets: https://www.vivaticket.com/it/ticket/blu-palazzo-d-arte-e-cultura/155183(via exhibition-specific links from the official Palazzo Blu site)
Address: Lungarno Gambacorti 9, 56125 Pisa (PI), Italy
Map: View on Google Maps
Opening Hours
As a cultural centre with temporary shows, hours can vary slightly by season and exhibition, but recent schedules indicate opening roughly 10:00 to 19:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00 to 20:00 on weekends and holidays, with last entry about one hour before closing. Always check palazzoblu.it or the current exhibition page before your visit.
Palazzo Blu is a riverside arts centre on Pisa’s Lungarno Gambacorti that has transformed a historic noble residence into one of Tuscany’s liveliest spaces for temporary exhibitions. Recognisable from afar thanks to its distinctive blue façade, the palazzo is run by Fondazione Pisa and combines a permanent collection of local art with major rotating shows devoted to figures from Chagall and Kandinsky to Keith Haring and photography greats. The permanent displays, housed on the upper floors, focus on Pisa and Tuscan painting from the 16th to the 20th centuries, including works by artists such as Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi, Giovanni Fattori and other Macchiaioli painters. These rooms are atmospheric, with period furnishings and views over the Arno, and give a sense of how wealthy Pisan families once lived along the river. However, most visitors come primarily for the blockbuster temporary exhibitions on the lower floors. These are carefully curated, often in collaboration with major museums and lenders, and supported by detailed wall texts, multimedia guides and catalogues. Themes have ranged from the Belle Époque to street art, making Palazzo Blu a place where locals come repeatedly, not just once. Because the exhibitions change, the feel of the building changes with them; you might find dimmed, theatrical lighting and bold colours for a modern show, or more classical hanging for historical painting. Facilities include a bookshop rich in art and photography titles and a café that makes the building a pleasant stop even if you are not seeing a show. For travellers, Palazzo Blu offers a cultural counterbalance to the heavily touristed Piazza dei Miracoli; it draws fewer crowds but shows that Pisa’s artistic life continues well beyond the Leaning Tower. Plan on at least 60 to 90 minutes for an exhibition, more if you also explore the permanent collection. Because ticketing for big shows is handled via official partners like Vivaticket linked directly from the palazzo’s website, advance online booking is straightforward in busy periods. If you enjoy well-staged art exhibitions in a historic setting, Palazzo Blu is one of the best reasons to linger in Pisa’s city centre.