FLORENCE, Italy — Two of the most recognizable paintings from the Italian Renaissance have been given a fresh new layout at Florence’s celebrated Uffizi Gallery, as the museum continues its efforts to improve the visitor experience.
Beginning Tuesday, guests at Italy’s most visited museum will find Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” displayed in one room, with “Primavera” visible by simply turning around — hanging on the opposite wall in an adjacent space.
The reorganization comes under the direction of Uffizi director Simone Verde, who stepped into the role in January 2024 and has been guiding the museum through a broader renovation process.
Verde described the updated Botticelli rooms as a bridge between the museum’s storied past and its future vision. “The Botticelli rooms seek to present visitors with the Uffizi of the future, while keeping its feet firmly on the ground and its roots deeply planted in the history of this extraordinary museum,” he said.
The two paintings had most recently been displayed side by side on neighboring walls, giving visitors a simultaneous view of both works. In earlier decades, the paintings faced each other across a single room — an arrangement that contributed to overcrowding and made it difficult for guests to fully appreciate either piece.
