Galleria di Palazzo Bianco (White Palace Gallery), Genoa

The White Palace Gallery stands as one of Genoa’s foremost art museums. Originally built between 1530 and 1540 for Luca Grimaldi and later redesigned in the early 18th century under Maria Durazzo Brignole-Sale, this elegant palace received its signature pale-stucco façade during that period. In 1884, the Duchess of Galliera bequeathed both the building and her art collection to the city, establishing it as a public gallery.

The museum opened its doors in 1892 and, despite severe damage during WWII, was faithfully restored and reorganized in 1950 by famed rationalist architect Franco Albini. Today it forms part of the Strada Nuova Museums, a cultural circuit that includes Red Palace and Tursi Palace, offering a unified art journey through Genoa’s historic palaces.

Inside, the gallery, spread across 47 exhibition rooms, houses an outstanding collection of European paintings from the 15th to 18th centuries, with a strong focus on Genoese masters alongside Flemish, Italian, French, and Spanish artists.

Highlights include notable works by Italian painters such as Filippino Lippi, Paolo Veronese, and Caravaggio, as well as major European artists like Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Francisco de Zurbarán, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. The gallery also showcases important Ligurian artists including Luca Cambiaso, Bernardo Strozzi, and Domenico Piola.