Florence Secret Garden Tour
An Exotic Experience

Diane holds a PhD in interdisciplinary studies in architecture from the University of British Columbia and is a visiting scholar at the Faculty of Architecture at the Sapienza University of Rome. A former research fellow at the British School at Rome, she has been appointed as a heritage expert to numerous committees both in Italy and internationally on the conservation and restoration of architecture and urban heritage. One of her main research sites is Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli, and the continued influence of the architecture of the Emperor Hadrian on Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Borromini, Bernini, and contemporary architects. Diane teaches architecture and urban history in Rome, including a specialized seminar on Michelangelo. Additionally, she was the founding curator of the international architectural collection of drawings, prints, and rare manuscripts for the Canadian Centre for Architecture. She was also an advisor to the Getty funded Architectural Drawings Advisory Committee (ADAG), at the Center for the Advanced Studies of the Visual Arts, Washington, D.C.

Valerie received her BA with distinction in Art History and Museology at the University of Florence, focusing on the Renaissance art market. Although German, Valerie was born and raised in Rome, making her eager to build bridges across different cultures. She also works for the educational department of the state museums in Florence, where her mission is to communicate art and culture as a means of understanding the visual signs that surround us.

Born and raised in Florence, Alessandra has a degree in art history from the University of Florence with a specialization in seventeenth-century painting. She obtained an Masters from the European University Institute in Florence, where she defended her Ph.D. in history, focusing on the patronage of Tuscan nobility in Europe during the seventeenth century. In addition, she holds a diploma in archival administration, paleography, and diplomatics from the State Archive in Florence. She has been teaching art history and Italian culture for several years in various schools and institutions in Florence and across Italy.
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