9 History Museums in Duomo That You Shouldn't Miss

For preservation purposes, many significant works have been moved from the Duomo to this nearby museum.

The Misericordia was born when the Dominican Pietro da Verona, arrived in Florence to fight the heretic patari. Citizens ‘companies were formed – the Companies of the Faith – which in a few months were the opponents’ right. At that point, laid down the sword, those same men cradled the rosary to devote themselves to works of mercy. And so, almost 8 centuries ago, an Institution was set up that put itself concretely at the service of the neighbor and became an example of boundless charity, inspiring the birth of numerous sisters: today there are 700 Misericordia in Italy in the world. The role played by the Florentine association, as shown by numerous archival documents, became more and more a social service. So that its history went to intertwine, firmly, with that of the city that was its cradle. Several times the Medici, the Lorraine, but also the now united Italy, turned to the Misericordia to solve problems of a collective nature.

Over the years the Collection has grown so much, now reaching more than 243 models, that is has overtaken various collections in museums all around the world. Each of the machines in the Collection has been built using materials of the time being wood, metal, ropes and fabrics and interestingly, in the course of construction, many astounding mechanical findings have been revealed. Our research team has expanded over the years and now includes a really talented study group of scholars consisting of Historians, Engineers, Architects, Educators, Artisans and Craftsmen, whose expertise and knowledge has contributed enormously to improve the outcome of our scientific and historical research. The Collection has also been enriched with ‘Vitruvian Machines’, at least those we know of thanks to the writings of that great Roman Engineer of the first century BC., by other important ‘Greek-Roman Machines’ and some from the era of ‘Ancient Egypt’. Our research team also undertakes projects on behalf of third parties and is very proud of the rediscovery of the lost mechanism of Leonardo’s Robot and a new hypothesis for the motion of the Mechanical Lion. Of key importance to us is that the findings and rewards of our research and work is accessible for everyone to witness and enjoy. Therefore, in addition to The Collection being available to Museums, Art Galleries, Organizations, private exhibitions and for shopping mall displays, we’ve made provision for rental opportunities to smaller groups for School activities, Conferences and even Renaissance themed dinners.

The Leonardo da Vinci’s Museum is located in the heart of the city, very close to the Brunelleschi’s dome of the main Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore. At the entrance you will find the new bookshop, with a variety of interesting books, including our catalogue cured by Carlo Pedretti and a wide assortment of gadgets.Visiting the exhibition hall you can discover the world, the life, the works of the universally recognized as a worldwide Genius, whom secrets are still not yet completely revealed.Here you can also test the functioning of his most important projects and designs. You will admire inventions of an extraordinary visual impact, operating and life-size machines, such as the ” war machines ” with the great tank, or the “civil engineering machines” such as the Brunelleschi’s crane and the “flying machines“: you will then walk back through the ambitious dream of Leonardo’s life: the flight.In addition to his engineering projects you’ll find in a unique exhibition space, the reproductions of his most important paintings, including the Last Supper, the Mona Lisa and the Annunciation. A great opportunity to admire them all together and to compare them! The rooms of the museum are enriched with multimedia displays which will help you in understanding the functioning of the machines and making your visit even more enjoying.

The first and only museum entirely dedicated to the Medici Dynasty. The Museum is on the noble floor of the Palazzo di Sforza Almeni, property of the secret waiter of Cosimo I de' Medici, in via dei Servi n.12, a few steps from Brunelleschi's Dome.

The Museum of Dante's House is waiting for you with a band new set-up! In the heart of medieval Florence, in one of the most fascinating buildings in the city, you'll have the chance to discover and rediscover one of the most important figures in Italian and international history and culture thanks to state-of-the-art technologies: touch screens, interactive tables, Virtual Reality and video mapping. An interactive, immersive, multisensory journey through the life and works of the Father of the Italian language, presented here in all his complexity: the man who loved his city, the warrior who defended it, the politician who was exiled from it and the Supreme Poet who sang of it until his death in the eternal tercets of his Divine Comedy.