Palazzo Cangini Westinghouse Museum

Palazzo Cangini-Westinghouse built in Volterra between the second half of the sixteenth century and the first decades of the seventeenth century, is a private historic residence still inhabited by the original family, which saw its history intertwined with the history of Westinghouse, married to one of the last Cangini.

It is possible to visit some rooms of the palace, including the alcove, where many characters of the Austrian imperial family resided, including the Grand Duke Leopold II, the Imperial Hall with frescoes and gilded mirrors, the Study, where the oldest books of the vast family collection, the Green Room with a view of the roof garden, the dining room and the workshop of George II, in which his memories are preserved. One of the elements that make a visit to the palace unforgettable is the marriage between the environment of the past and the present daily life. Despite some restrictions, this museum still offers the possibility of accessing multiple rooms while admiring all the works of art that are present there. Coming there, you will be able to see various particular paintings which include members of the family that owns the building.
Not only that: Palazzo Cangini-Westinghouse itself is a real gem on the cake.

Over the course of history, numerous owners of this museum have followed one another who have made more or less evident changes to the entire structure. Not surprisingly, this palace is currently considered to all intents and purposes as a beautiful building with a style of its own and a unique personality. All interiors are finely decorated, in order to provide all guests with the opportunity to admire the lifestyle of yesteryear. In fact, it immediately looks like one of those very large and sumptuous palaces; internally then it does not disappoint.

As long as the real owners of the Palace still live there, they are the ones who make the excursions for guests who want to better understand the history of this magnificent building or see all its artistic gems, many of which are presented to guests by members of the same family who there. lives. However, during the excursions in the Palazzo Cangini-Westinghouse Museum, it is not possible to visit all the rooms, as many are private and dedicated to the use of the owners themselves. These, in fact, provide the opportunity to admire only those rooms that are public and behind which there is a very long and particular history. In fact, many stories and legends are linked to the different rooms of this museum that it is worth listening to to understand what type of building you are dealing with. And even if it is not one of the most popular museums of all, the reality is that this Palace was a real surprise for many guests who have found it.

Who can visit it?

Anyone interested in the lifestyle of the noble families of the past can do it. Of course, this is a place that could make the little ones bored, considering that it is difficult to find many fun things to do there. On the other hand, it is an ideal museum to say the least for all those who would like to discover the artistic peculiarities of the noble residences typical of the era in which the Palazzo Cangini-Westinghouse Museum was founded. In fact, many halls and rooms still house the frescoes and decorations typical of that period so, apparently, far away. The family that owns the Palazzo Cangini-Westinghouse Museum decided not to change the appearance of many interior spaces, making them as similar as possible to the original ones. In this regard, in the Palazzo Cangini-Westinghouse Museum you can find various references not only to the time when this building was built, but also to the following centuries, when it was now inhabited by members of the Cangini family.

A note of merit, of course, also goes to the owners who, in addition to knowing every single detail of the building in question, explaining it to all interested guests, are also very kind in addressing visitors. Once you enter here, you will hardly want to leave this place. And many tend to come back to see again the various decorations and the many rooms full of a unique style of its kind.

In order to have a better chance of visiting the Palace in question, it is advisable to come there in periods of low tourist turnout only after having made a reservation with the owners. Once they confirm the booking, it is recommended to come here only at the time and day indicated. This is because the owners of the building could close the building by moving away or not want visitors on a given day. All those who come there without having first booked their visit, can be rejected. Furthermore, by telephone, it is also possible to clarify various other details related to the excursionand, like the cost of the same, the duration and so on.
To visit this noble residence of the past epochs it is advisable to make a reservation. This can be done by calling +39 342 7624300. In this way it will be possible to request any availability of the owners of the home. As long as it is still a private residence today, the owners of the same can decide to close it to the public at any time, which is why there could often be problems to visit it. In addition, it is worth considering that the Palazzo Cangini-Westinghouse Museum is located in Volterra, in the province of Pisa, at Via Gramsci, 62. This is the only address of the museum in question.