Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Doria-Tursi (Strada Nuova Museums)

The Strada Nuova museums are three adjoining palaces on Via Garibaldi in Genoa's Centro Storico: Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Doria-Tursi. All three lie within the UNESCO-listed Strade Nuove and Rolli ensemble and together hold some of the city's most important art and heritage. Palazzo Rosso, built in the 1670s for the Brignole-Sale family, is a house museum with frescoed rooms and a collection of Genoese, Flemish and Italian paintings, including works by Van Dyck, Veronese and Guercino, left to the city in 1874 by the Duchess of Galliera. Palazzo Bianco, from the 16th century and reworked in the 18th, presents Genoese, Flemish and Spanish painting, with canvases by Rubens, Van Dyck, Murillo and Caravaggio. Palazzo Doria-Tursi, begun in 1565 for Nicolo Grimaldi, is now the town hall, and its museum rooms display the violin of Niccolo Paganini, known as Il Cannone, along with coins, ceramics and historic documents. The three collections are organised in different ways: Palazzo Rosso preserves the aristocratic domestic setting, Palazzo Bianco is arranged as a more conventional picture gallery, and Doria-Tursi is thematic, with civic and musical objects. The buildings have been restored in stages by the city, with conservation of frescoes, ceilings and paintings continuing, and Palazzo Rosso's rooftop terrace offers views over the old city. A single combined ticket covers all three, and visitors often spend half a day moving between them. The museums form the heart of the city's Musei di Genova network and give a view of Genoese Baroque culture and patronage. Because the palaces are adjacent, a visit can combine architectural viewing with art in a compact area near Piazza Fontane Marose and the Palazzo Ducale. For visitors with limited time, Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Doria-Tursi together give the strongest overview.