Thinking of visiting Florence’s HZERO Miniature Train Museum, but aren’t sure if you should prioritize it over other Florence experiences?
I’m a local mamma of three, and I just visited the museum with my youngest son (4-years-old).
We found HZERO to be a nice change of pace from typical Florence museums like the Uffizi and the Accademia. It’s also relatively compact, so it doesn’t require an entire morning (or tons of energy… museums can be exhausting!).
Is it worth it for you or your group? I’ll help you decide. My review is family-focused, but even if you’re not traveling with kids, this may help you too.
Let’s take a closer look at the Florence HZERO Miniature Train Museum, including:
- Museum basics (location, how to buy tickets, etc)
- What’s inside the museum
- Who should visit and who should skip it
- How long a visit takes
- Visiting HZERO with kids
- Final thoughts on our visit
- What to see and do after visiting HZERO
Table of Contents
HZERO Train Museum – The Basics
What Is It? – The HZERO Miniature Train Museum showcases a 280m2 handmade model railway with over 70 moving model trains in a multi-story space in the center of Florence. It’s a quiet space, set up so you can see the display up close, and the helpful staff is on-hand to explain what you’re looking at or how to use some of the interactive exhibits on the upper floor.
Location – Piazza degli Ottaviani, 2r (just steps from the southern part of Piazza di Santa Maria Novella). See it on a map here.
Buying Tickets – You can purchase tickets online in advance, or show up and buy them in the museum’s ticket office (inside the museum). We bought our tickets at the museum.
Gift Shop – Yes. There are plenty of train-themed books, toys, and games. Most are in Italian, but a few are in English.
English Available? – Yes. When you buy your tickets, you’ll be given a pamphlet with brief explanations of what you’re looking at. There are no info panels on the exhibit. There is a short film on the history of the models and museum and it has English subtitles.
Bag Storage – You can store small bags (backpack size) in the free lockers on the ground floor of the museum (get a token from the ticket cashier).
Food & Drinks – You can’t bring food or drinks (including water) into the museum. You can store them in the free bag storage lockers.
Helpful Tip: For the most up-to-date hours and ticket info, see the HZERO Train Museum’s official website.
What’s Inside the HZERO Train Museum?
There are three floors in the HZERO museum:
- Ground Floor – This is the main part of the museum – the main room has a huge model with scenes of mountains, cities, water, and more. Over 70 model trains move throughout the model. The room is surrounded with a digital display that changes (thunderstorms, snow, etc). The ground floor also houses the entrance, gift shop, and ticket office.
- Upper Floors – There’s a small seating area with large windows for viewing the model from above. You can also watch a short film about the models and museum (English subtitles), see people working on real model trains and scenery, try driving one of the model trains, take a free themed photo, and try a virtual reality ‘video game’ that lets you walk through the model.
Fun Fact: The name HZERO comes from the scale of the model railway – H0. H0 is the scale of the models, 1:87, and it’s a common scale used for model trains.
Who Will Love HZERO?
- train fans
- people who make models or enjoy looking at them
- those who appreciate detail (the attentional to detail made me feel like we were in Japan)
- people who enjoyed making dioramas for school projects
- anyone who needs an air-conditioned break from Florentine heat or art museums
Who Should Skip a Visit?
There are loud noises and bright lights on the digital displays on the walls around the model. If you or your child(ren) have sensory issues, you may want to skip HZERO. There’s no way to avoid the digital display. My four-year-old jumped a bit when the ‘lightning’ and ‘storm’ began.
There are no full-size trains on display, so if that’s what you want to see, this isn’t your spot.
How Long a Visit to HZERO Takes
We visited on a quiet April afternoon, and we saw 2 others while we were visiting the museum. When we left, a group of 8 came in, but it still felt quiet and empty. We spent about 1 hour exploring the museum. We looked at everything, but we didn’t play the video game. If you’re a model train enthusiast, I can definitely see you taking much longer. Even if there are more people in the museum, there are plenty of viewing points, and you don’t need to see everything in order (so there wouldn’t be much idle time).
HZERO Train Museum – Visiting with Kids
Tickets – There are family tickets available for families with one or two adults.
Strollers – You can move easily around the main floor (with the model and trains) with a stroller. There are elevators for reaching the upper floors. The only place you can’t bring the stroller is into the cinema or to see the lab. You can carry your baby up/down the short flight of stairs or skip that section.
Toilets & Diaper Changes – There’s a bathroom available with a changing table on the first floor. There is also a toilet on the ground floor, but it doesn’t have a changing table.
Water – There’s no water available in the museum, and you are not allowed to bring your own water or drinks in. You must check them in the free lockers at the entrance.
Viewing the Exhibits – You can check out a wooden step stool so your child can see the models. Otherwise, you can try a combo of holding your child in your arms and letting him/her stand on the viewing benches (that’s what I did).
Breaking Things – Sometimes with younger kids I worry about them being gentle and not breaking things or touching the exhibits. HZERO has plexiglass panels to discourage anyone from touching the display or trains, and it would be tough for little ones to reach in and grab something.
Eat Before You Visit – You can’t eat inside HZERO, so it’s best to have a snack or meal before you visit. You can eat at the HZERO bistrot next door, grab something in Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, or even have a snack from the small grocery store across the street from the museum.
Consider Alternatives for Young Kids – I visited with my 4-year-old, and he’s probably the youngest I’d take if I wanted my kids to really appreciate it or have patience to stay for awhile. He was ready to leave after about 40 minutes, but then we went upstairs and he was interested in the interactive activities.
You can definitely enter the museum with younger kids, but if they’re really active and won’t allow the rest of the family to enjoy the museum, you could also let them play in the piazza or even have one adult take the little ones to the Pinocchio Museum. It’s more suitable for small kids.
Another options for little ones is to have them search for items or scenes, like:
- a bicycle race
- a vegetable garden
- a motorcycle
- a flag
- kayakers
- parasailers
- a castle
Fun Fact: HZERO is currently the largest model railway in Italy!
You may want to check out
Things to Do in Florence with Kids
Florence with Kids
Kid-Friendly Museums in Florence
Where to Stay with Kids in Florence
Final Thoughts on Our Visit
We enjoyed our visit to the HZERO Miniature Train Museum. It’s well run, interesting, and the staff is kind and professional.
When I asked my 4-year-old what he enjoyed most, he said ‘driving the train’ and ‘watching the [model] trains move.’
As the paying mamma, I think I appreciated it much more than my 4-year-old did. I also think I’ll skip returning with my older two unless they show more of an interest in models or trains.
However, I do think it’s an excellent and worthwhile experience for adults and kids who enjoy models or trains. I will return if we have visiting friends or family who are interested in this type of museum and need a break from traditional Florentine museums.
What to See or Do After Visiting HZERO
Depending on what time of day you stop in at HZERO, you could:
- walk around the corner to the modern art museum, Museo Novecento (recommended if there’s a special exhibition)
- walk to Gelateria Badiani for gelato (it’s one of my favorite places for gelato in Florence)
- get something to eat next door at the museum’s bistro
- have aperitivo outside on Piazza di Santa Maria Novella or on the rooftop of Grand Hotel Baglioni
- go souvenir shopping at the famous Santa Maria Novella pharmacy (my pick for gifts is the melograno bar soap)
If you’re visiting with kids, you could:
- get gelato at nearby Gelateria Badiani
- stop in at Lilà Toys, a tiny branch of one of our favorite toy shops in Florence
- walk in the digital art tunnel (enter here); short, but fun for little ones
- ride the carousel in Piazza della Repubblica
- check out the kids’ section in the RED Bookstore, one of our top bookstores to visit with kids in Florence
