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An exploration of the Ferragamo world, shaped by creativity, research, and experimentation. In the heart of Florence, the museum traces the founder’s journey and the legacy that helped transform the art of shoemaking.

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Discovery the Ferragamo Heritage

In the heart of Florence, the historic Palazzo Spini Feroni is home to the Museo Ferragamo. The building’s connection to Salvatore Ferragamo dates to 1938, when he moved his Florentine business and workshop there. Palazzo Spini Feroni has remained central to the Ferragamo story ever since. Now owned by the family, it continues to house both the Ferragamo store and the museum.

Salvatore Ferragamo’s story, however, began long before he settled in Florence. As a child, he was already making shoes for his sisters, revealing an extraordinary talent from an early age. In 1914, at just sixteen, he set off for the United States to pursue his ambitions. There, he began working with the film industry, creating shoes for some of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars, including Gloria Swanson and Mary Pickford. His creations earned him the nickname “shoemaker to the stars.”

He returned to Italy in 1927 and chose Florence as the new home of his business, establishing Calzaturificio Ferragamo & C. In 1948, Ferragamo opened his first standalone store on Park Avenue in New York.

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The Museum

Established in 1995, the Museo Ferragamo was created to preserve and celebrate a heritage that extends far beyond the history of shoemaking, offering fresh perspectives on its evolution.

Drawing on the Ferragamo archives, its exhibitions explore the connections between the founder’s work and art, design, fashion, and society. Each piece is presented not only for its aesthetic value but also for what it reveals about Ferragamo’s creative approach. The museum offers a new perspective on the brand’s history, showing how intuition, technical expertise, and a constant drive for innovation can come together.

Stories from the Archives

The Museo Ferragamo presents a changing program of exhibitions, each exploring different aspects of the brand’s history, from its defining periods and creations to the values, research, and experimentation that have shaped its identity.

By placing the Ferragamo heritage in dialogue with art, design, and contemporary culture, these exhibitions go beyond individual creations to reveal the ideas, research, and cultural context behind them.

Among the museum’s past exhibitions, SETA explored the history and allure of silk, a fabric long associated with royalty, elegance, and luxury. Tra arte e moda examined the relationship between art and fashion, while Donne in equilibrio was dedicated to Wanda Miletti Ferragamo, Salvatore’s wife and a pivotal figure in the brand’s history.

Salvatore Ferragamo 1898–1960 traces the founder’s life and work from his early years to 1960, revealing how creative intuition, research, and innovation were constantly intertwined. Together, these stories capture the richness of the Ferragamo world and demonstrate how the museum continues to interpret its heritage from ever-changing perspectives.

For guests staying at our hotels in Florence, admission to the Museo Ferragamo is included in their stay. An opportunity to discover the history and creative vision of the Ferragamo family, whose heritage is also deeply connected to our own story of hospitality.

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