The Toy and Pinocchio Museum
In the heart of Florence’s historic center, just a few steps from Piazza del Duomo, the Toy and Pinocchio Museum houses one of Italy’s most important collections dedicated to the world of toys and childhood imagination.
A place where the past takes shape through authentic, rare and often unique objects.
A journey spanning three centuries of history, culture and creativity.
Toys Through Time
Visiting the Museum means journeying through more than three hundred years of social, artistic and technological evolution.
Porcelain dolls, tin trains, mechanical robots, toy soldiers, marionettes, automata and model cars tell the story of different eras, cultural transformations and collective dreams.
The toy has never been just an object:
it is a mirror of society, an educational tool, a silent story of its time.
From the handcrafted production of the eighteenth century to the first industrial toys of the twentieth century, each piece on display bears witness to:
- scientific innovations
- educational changes
- political transformations
- artistic developments
Each display case tells a small story waiting to be discovered.
The World of Pinocchio
“Once upon a time, there was a piece of wood…”
From this opening line begins one of the most famous stories in world literature.
Pinocchio, created by Carlo Lorenzini – known as Collodi – has crossed generations, cultures and continents.
The Museum dedicates a large section to the puppet born in Florence, exploring not only the fairy tale itself but also its cultural impact over time.
Among the objects on display:
- puppets and historical toys
- ceramics and sculptures
- medals and commemorative objects
- works by Venturino Venturi, Stefano Innocenti, Roberto Ceccherini, Lando Landi, Skim, Roberto Ciabani and many other artists inspired by the beloved Pinocchio
Pinocchio thus becomes a universal symbol of growth, identity and transformation.
A character who belongs to everyone.
Because, at least once in our lives, we have all been Pinocchio.
Collaborations and Projects
In collaboration with the Paolo Franzini Tibaldeo Foundation and the Pinocchio a Casa Sua Association, on the occasion of the Collodi Bicentenary, the Museum promotes events, exhibitions and initiatives dedicated to Collodi’s work and to the world of childhood.
Among the related projects, the Web App “The Pinocchio Routes” allows visitors to explore Florence and Tuscany in the footsteps of the world’s most famous puppet.
