Firenze 50 ’60 ’70 – Immagini dall’Archivio Foto Locchi: 150 photographs from the Archivio Foto Locchi on display at Villa Bardini offer a vivid snapshot of the city’s history
Florence, May 6, 2026. The exhibition Firenze 50 ’60 ’70 – Immagini dall’Archivio Foto Locchi opens tomorrow at Villa Bardini. Promoted by Fondazione CR Firenze and Archivio Foto Locchi, and curated by Giovanna Uzzani, the exhibition runs until October 18, 2026, showcasing three crucial decades in Florentine history through more than 150 vintage photographs.
At the heart of the exhibition is the Archivio Foto Locchi, one of Italy’s most important photographic collections and an iconographic heritage protected by the Italian Ministry of Culture. The archive preserves over five million images documenting the social, political, and cultural life of the city. Founded in 1924 by Tullio Locchi — a renowned war photojournalist and portrait photographer to the royal family — the archive represents a true visual memory of Florence, chronicling the city’s evolution over time.
The exhibition presents a significant selection from this extraordinary collection, offering visitors not only historical events but also fragments of everyday life: faces, streets, work, fashion, and leisure moments that together shape the city’s identity. The exhibition route unfolds across three decades that deeply marked Florence: the 1950s, years of rebirth and optimism in which the city established itself as an international capital of fashion and style; the 1960s, characterized by strong contrasts between economic development and social tensions, dominated by the tragedy of the 1966 flood, which left a profound scar on the city’s collective memory; and finally the 1970s, a complex decade marked by urban and cultural transformations that ushered Florence into modernity.
Recurring themes include work, sport, fashion, and culture, with references to events and figures that defined an era: from the rise of ACF Fiorentina to the achievements of Gino Bartali, as well as the vibrant cultural scene surrounding the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. In this sense, the exhibition becomes a mosaic of individual and collective stories, capturing the authentic face of the city and its inhabitants. Particularly striking are the photographs depicting slices of everyday life: boys diving into the Arno, sunbathing along the riverbanks, Sundays at the stadium, and visits to Florence by artists and international movie stars.
“For Fondazione CR Firenze,” stated the Foundation’s president Bernabò Bocca, “supporting this initiative means continuing a concrete commitment to the city, not only in safeguarding its material heritage but also in enhancing its intangible heritage, made up of stories, identity, and shared memory.”
“Through the curator Giovanna Uzzani’s rigorous and sensitive selection,” added Erika Ghilardi, “the exhibition Firenze ’50, ’60, ’70 restores to the city, with precision and lyricism, the memory of a community, highlighting the extraordinary value of an archive that preserves its identity and heritage.”
Info: Villa Bardini – Firenze 50 ’60 ’70 Exhibition
(Fiamma Domestici)