A new sense of time flows through the halls of Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara—one that does not erase history, but inhabits it with a renewed gaze. With the reinstallation project curated by QB Atelier, the ancient museum now opens itself to an exhibition experience that embraces reverence, innovation, and accessibility. The intervention delicately weaves together the historic context with the urgency of a contemporary architecture that is inclusive, accessible, and sustainable. Every design decision reflects a deep sensitivity to the cultural act of dwelling and displaying, offering visitors a journey that is at once knowledge and encounter.
The exhibition path, articulated through a sequence of architectural devices and spatial elements with a simple and rigorous geometry, serves as a tool to enhance the artwork and its context—breaking down barriers and opening up to broader, non-discriminatory modes of engagement. In this sense, the project participates in an ongoing reflection on museum accessibility, which, thanks also to funding from Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), finds in the renewed configuration of the Schifanoia Museum an exemplary case.
The intervention engages with a complex architectural stratification, respecting the constraints imposed by previous restorations and by existing infrastructure, some of which dates back to the 1990s. Given the impossibility of invasive action, QB Atelier opted for light, reversible technical elements that could dialogue with the original structure while ensuring a clear reading of the exhibition layout. The design of display cases and museum supports favors modularity and adaptability, introducing dark-toned elements that enhance the original chromatic palette of the palace and restore centrality to the artworks.
The museum spans 21 rooms and over 2,660 square meters, housing approximately 250 works, enriched by multimedia content and digital reconstructions that guide visitors through the various historical phases of the complex.
The architectural project is accompanied by an extensive interpretative and curatorial framework, offering a layered narrative sensitive to diverse levels of engagement, physical, cultural, cognitive, and sensory. This includes thoughtful signage, calibrated natural and artificial lighting systems, and staff training, all key elements that make the new Schifanoia a truly “open” museum in every sense.
Each space has been reimagined to welcome not only the artworks, but also the gaze of those who encounter them: inclusivity becomes an integral part of the design, alongside a meticulous attention to detail and a desire to let the legacy of the past live in harmony with the urgencies of the present.
For more info: www.qbatelier.it
CREDITS
Project: Museo Schifanoia
Architect: QB Atelier
Location: Ferrara, Italy
Year: 2024
Photography: Pietro Savorelli
