Palazzo D'Arco Museum

The noble D'Arco family of Trento settled in Mantua in 1740. With the help of the architect Antonio Colonna, in 1784 Count Giovanni Battista Gherardo decided to renovate the palace that he acquired on Piazza D'Arco in a neo-classical style. The family later went on to expand their property, acquiring the garden behind the palace and a 16th century building featuring a room with frescoes by Giovanni Maria Falconetto. In many of these paintings, the signs of the zodiac are combined with ancient mythology and works of man. It was the last member of the family line, Giovanna, who set up the foundation that manages the palace and its collections. There is a lavish art gallery, including paintings by Lorenzo Costa the Elder and Younger, Giuseppe Bazzani, Boccaccino, Magnasco, Lotto, Tintoretto, Van Dyck and many others. Furthermore, the extensive library houses collections of books on natural history and musical instruments. Everything is housed in rooms from the 18th and 19th century, while the magnificent old kitchen boasts an impressive array of copper pots.