Giacomo Puccini, the composer of La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly, was born in Lucca in 1858 into a family that had been the city’s official musicians for generations, and the apartment where he grew up is now the Puccini Museum. It sits on the second floor of a historic building in Corte San Lorenzo, a small courtyard between Piazza Cittadella, where a bronze statue of the composer sits in an armchair, and Via di Poggio. The rooms hold period furniture, paintings, photographs, letters and early autograph scores, along with drafts of the librettos of Tosca and La fanciulla del West. The star object is the Steinway and Sons piano on which Puccini worked on Turandot, the opera he left unfinished at his death, and a room dedicated to that opera displays a second-act costume donated by the soprano Maria Jeritza. It is a small, intimate museum that music lovers should not miss.
How it works: entry is by paid ticket, and the museum is part of the Lucca VisitCard combined ticket. Winter hours, from 1 November to 31 January, are 10:00 to 14:00 from Tuesday to Thursday and 10:00 to 17:00 from Friday to Monday, so plan an early-week visit for the morning. The museum is closed on 25 December. From February the hours change again, and Tuesday becomes the closing day, so always check before you go.
Accessibility: the museum is on the second floor of a listed building. A stairlift can be used if you book it at the ticket office at least two days ahead. Two rooms remain inaccessible, but a free tablet offers a virtual visit as well as a video tour in Italian Sign Language.
Making the most of it: an hour is enough for the rooms, but music lovers will want longer with the scores and letters. Lucca keeps Puccini alive all year with concerts of his arias in churches around the old town, so look for an evening performance to round off the visit. Puccini’s later villa at Torre del Lago, on the lake south of Viareggio, makes an easy half-day add-on for real fans.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided visit to the restored Puccini family apartment, with original furniture, scores, letters, the Turandot piano and a costume room.
Best time
A Friday to Monday visit gives the longest winter hours; from Tuesday to Thursday the museum closes at 14:00.
How long
About an hour, a little longer if you read the letters and scores closely.
Tips
Book the stairlift two days ahead if you need it, check the season’s hours, and look for an evening Puccini concert in town the same day.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Opera lovers and anyone who knows Nessun dorma or O mio babbino caro and wants to see where the music began.
- Families
- Best for older children who play music or know a few arias; it is a small, quiet museum.
- Couples
- Pair the visit with an evening Puccini concert for a romantic, musical day in Lucca.
- Pair with
- Piazza Cittadella and its Puccini statue outside, then San Martino cathedral or San Michele in Foro nearby.
- Time needed
- About an hour.
Good questions
Where is the Puccini Museum in Lucca?+
It is at Corte San Lorenzo 9, between Piazza Cittadella and Via di Poggio in the centre of Lucca. The composer’s statue stands in Piazza Cittadella outside.
What are the Puccini Museum winter opening hours?+
From 1 November to 31 January it opens from 10:00 to 14:00 Tuesday to Thursday and 10:00 to 17:00 Friday to Monday. It is closed on 25 December.
What is the most important object in the Puccini Museum?+
The Steinway and Sons piano on which Puccini worked on his unfinished opera Turandot. A room dedicated to Turandot also shows a stage costume worn by Maria Jeritza.
Is the Puccini Museum accessible?+
It is on the second floor, and a stairlift can be booked at least two days in advance. Two rooms are not accessible, but a free tablet offers a virtual tour.
Is the Puccini Museum included in the Lucca VisitCard?+
Yes, it is one of the sites covered by the Lucca VisitCard. The card also includes the Guinigi Tower and the cathedral complex.