Overview
In 2012, thanks to a restoration by Gae Aulenti, Palazzo Branciforte reopened its doors to the public, becoming the seat of the Fondazione Sicilia and also an exhibition centre for the institution's historical-artistic collections. Built in the 16th century, this palace houses archaeological and majolica collections on the ground floor, while on the first floor you can admire philately and numismatic collections, a large library and some bronze works. One room of the palace is dedicated to the Grand Tour, with an exhibition of drawings and valuable books tracing the stages of the cultural phenomenon from the second half of the 18th century to the first decades of the 19th century. The spaces of the Monte dei pegni di Santa Rosalia are also impressive, with its distinctive wooden structure occupying an entire wing of the palace. In this area, you can admire Giacomo Cuticchio's collection of Sicilian puppets, which is a testimony to the Sicilian Puppet Opera, recognised by UNESCO as an oral and intangible heritage of all humanity.
