Alinari 2030: Italian photography rewrites its future between Florence and Montecatini
Five years after its founding, the Alinari Foundation for Photography has established itself as one of the most forward-thinking projects on the European cultural scene. It is not only the custodian of one of the world’s most important photographic archives, but also a key player in a profound transformation that is redefining the relationship between memory, innovation, and cultural production.
Established in 2020 by the Region of Tuscany and operational since 2021, the Foundation has embarked on a journey that goes far beyond conservation. The goal is to build a living ecosystem around photography, capable of generating knowledge, connections, and new visual narratives.
A vision that evolves over time
The reappointment of President Giorgio van Straten and Director Claudia Baroncini marks an important step in the consolidation of the Foundation’s strategic vision. In these early years, the work has developed along clear lines: heritage preservation, scientific research, cultural programming, and international outreach.
What emerges is a clear desire to transform theAlinari Archive from a place of conservation into a dynamic platform, capable of engaging with institutions, scholars, and a global audience. A vision that today enters a more mature phase, focused on building infrastructure and defining an even more recognizable identity.
Florence and the New Alinari Museum
The most symbolic project of this new phase is the creation of the Alinari Museum within the monumental complex of Santa Maria Novella, in the heart of Florence. Here, in the spaces of the former Scuola Marescialli, a cultural center will take shape, destined to become an international hub for photography.
The museum will not simply be an exhibition space, but a place of experience and knowledge. It will house a significant portion of the archive, a specialized library, spaces for research and consultation, as well as areas dedicated to education and outreach. As part of a broader urban regeneration project, it will help redefine Florence’s role as the capital of visual culture.
The construction project, supported by the Region of Tuscany and the Fondazione CR Firenze, aims to be completed by 2028, with an opening scheduled for 2029. An investment exceeding 12 million euros, it marks one of the most significant cultural initiatives of recent years.
Montecatini and the House of Photography
Alongside the museum component, the Alinari project also extends to Montecatini Terme, where the Terme Excelsior will house the future House of Photography. Conservation activities will be concentrated here, with storage facilities equipped for the most delicate materials and laboratories dedicated to restoration and digitization.
This space will also serve as an advanced training center, helping to forge a new identity for Montecatini as a hub for research and innovation. The dialogue between Florence and Montecatini thus defines an integrated system in which exhibition and conservation complement one another, transcending traditional models.
Exhibitions and Projects: A Moving Archive
Despite the initial lack of a permanent home, the Foundation has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for planning, bringing the Alinari collection to prestigious venues. Exhibitions such as Fotografe! and L’Italia è un desiderio have explored photography through new perspectives, combining scientific rigor with accessibility.
This itinerant dimension has fostered the development of a network of collaborations that today represents one of the Foundation’s most important assets. The archive, once static, thus becomes a living entity, capable of generating exhibitions, publications, and new interpretations.
Digitization: Memory Becomes Accessible
One of the most significant initiatives was the major project to digitize the historic glass plate collection, carried out thanks to funding from the PNRR. Approximately 80,000 photographic plates have been digitized in high definition, including the famous large-format images known as the “Giganti di Vetro.”
This work represents a turning point not only for conservation but also for the enjoyment of this heritage. Photography becomes accessible, searchable, and shareable, opening new perspectives for study and promotion on an international level.
A network for contemporary photography
At the same time, the Foundation has taken on a central role in coordinating the Tuscan photography ecosystem. The inventory of heritage collections and the launch of the Tuscan Photography Network mark a fundamental step toward building a shared cultural community.
The goal is to foster dialogue among archives, institutions, and professionals, creating an ecosystem capable of leveraging expertise and resources. A forward-looking project that reinforces Tuscany’s role as a cultural laboratory.
International Perspectives
The exhibition program for the coming years confirms this trajectory. The initiatives planned across Italy and Europe, with stops in Paris and London, demonstrate the commitment to positioning the Alinari Archive on a global stage.
Photography thus becomes a tool for international dialogue, capable of transcending borders and languages, while keeping the quality and depth of research at its core.
Five years after its founding, the Alinari Foundation for Photography demonstrates how a great heritage can be transformed into a contemporary driving force. No longer merely a repository of memory, but a space for cultural production, innovation, and exchange.
Through new venues, digitization, and international projects, Alinari is building a model that unites historical roots with a vision for the future. An ever-evolving narrative, capable of restoring photography’s central role in understanding the contemporary world.
