Florence 1966 Flood 60th Anniversary: Exhibitions and Events in November 2026

On 4 November 1966 the Arno broke its banks and flooded Florence. Water and mud reached the Baptistery doors, the Santa Croce basilica and the national library, and volunteers from all over the world, the angeli del fango or mud angels, came to dig out art and books. This November marks sixty years, and the city is remembering it with several exhibitions. If you are in town, these are worth your time, and walking past the flood plaques on the old streets will never feel the same again.

Forme del Fango at the Accademia di Belle Arti

From 4 to 20 November, the Florence fine arts academy at Via Ricasoli 66 shows work made from the mud that settled in its own cellars in 1966. Students and professors recovered it, turned it back into clay and spent seven years making individual and group pieces. It opens on the anniversary itself, 4 November at 12.30, and is open daily from 9.00 to 18.30, open to the public. Via Ricasoli runs right past the Galleria dell'Accademia, so it is an easy add after David. Source: Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze.

RI EMERGERE 1966 to 2026 at the State Archive

The Archivio di Stato on Viale Giovine Italia was itself under water in 1966, and it has spent six decades restoring tens of thousands of documents. Its exhibition, running 4 November 2026 to 6 February 2027, tells the story of the emergency, the rescue, the mud angels and the birth of modern conservation, with original and restored documents. Source: Firenze Weekend.

Zeffirelli's Per Firenze at San Firenze

In the hours after the flood, Franco Zeffirelli filmed Per Firenze, the documentary that showed the world what had happened and helped bring in international aid. From 4 to 29 November, his foundation in the San Firenze complex, Piazza San Firenze 5, shows his photographs and papers from those days, and screens the film. Source: Firenze Weekend.

See the flood in other shows

The 1966 flood also appears in Broken at Palazzo Strozzi, which includes sculpture damaged by the water. I cover it in my roundup of Florence exhibitions this winter. And if hidden Florence fascinates you, my guide to underground Florence is a good next read.

My tip

Expect local ceremonies and crowds around 4 November. Look for the small marble plaques with a line showing how high the water rose, there is one on Via de' Neri and many more around Santa Croce. Standing under one is the quickest way to understand the scale of that day.

Planning where to base yourself for these dates? Browse my Florence hotels guide, organized by neighborhood.