While the headline museums, such as the Duomo and Uffizi, bring millions of tourists to Florence every year, the city holds countless other exhibits worth a visit. You can escape the crowd and noise of the most popular destinations at these lesser-known museums. While known primarily for its art and architecture, Florence has also been home to renowned scientists. Combined with the Medici’s extensive collections across many fields, the city has spectacular scientific museums and endless art. These are just five lesser-known but still fascinating museums throughout the city.
Santa Croce Basilica
Built in 1294, The Santa Croce Basilica is one of the most famous churches in Florence. The church has undergone several renovations and is significant and easy to see today. It is covered in marble on the outside, and the base is white with details in green, red, and other colors. The ceiling lies high overhead on the inside, and light streams through colorful stained-glass windows. Lining the walls are tombs of important Italian figures, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli, as well as a memorial to Dante. Each one is decorated with masterfully worked sculptures and art. The church has 16 chapels, each dedicated to a wealthy family who helped build the church. Splitting the room into thirds are two loggias, and the main chapel, Capella Maggiore, is in the front. In the center is Jesus on the cross, and other drawings and paintings cover the rest. The Basilica also has a small museum featuring ceramics and frescoes. Entrance to the Basilica allows you access to three Cloisters and covered walkways outside. Today, they have small green spaces you can walk through.
Piazza di Santa Croce, 16, Florence
Medici Chapel
Part of the complex of San Lorenzo, the chapel for the powerful Medici family is magnificent. To begin, you will enter the crypt, where several Grand Dukes of Tuscany are buried alongside their wives. Despite the immense wealth the Medicis held, the crypt is simple, with plaques and little else. Also in the crypt is the treasury, storing religious objects and Medici family pieces, such as jewelry and medallions. From there, the visit finishes with the Chapel of the Princes, an octagonal space with a dome way above your head. The floor is pristine marble with a geometric pattern, mainly pine green, white and brown. Each of the six walls displays a cenotaph for the Grand Dukes. The walls are also primarily pine green and brown, and high up on them are windows lighting up the room. The ceiling, which looks out of place, was painted later, but pictures depict bible stories. The last part of the visit is the New Sacristy, a room designed by Michelangelo which he never finished. It is light-colored, with a black and white checkered marble pattern on the floor. The tombs of Medici family members are in it, along with statues honoring them. Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 6, Florence
Museo Leonardo Da Vinci
The Da Vinci Museum can provide a nice change of pace if your brain is tired of the art covering every inch of Florence. The museum covers Da Vinci’s eventful life as an artist and scientist. You learn about his travels across Italy for work, from Florence to Milan, Rome, and Venice. The museum replicated many of his inventions, allowing you to see them in 3D. Accompanying the replicas are Leonardo’s original drawings and notes. The most striking thing from the exhibit is the number of innovations Da Vinci is responsible for across industries. Covering bridges, his obsession with flying, mechanical engineering, and even war, the museum’s models do not become repetitive. There is even a room with wood blocks where you can try to create the Leonardo bridge, which is self-supporting. It is much more challenging than it looks. Aside from his inventions, the museum also displays a self-portrait and a copy of the Vitruvian Man drawn by Da Vinci. Via del Castellaccio, 1r, Florence
Museo Galileo
Another change of pace from the art-heavy Florence, Museo Galileo holds a variety of scientific instruments dating from between the 16th and 20th centuries. The instruments primarily derive from the collections of the Medici and Lorraine families. On display are detailed globes from the 17th century, many of which have drawings or paintings of animals between land masses, a notable difference from our maps today. There is also a room with original telescopes made by Galileo and others, which led to significant scientific discoveries. Other tools include thermometers, microscopes, motors, telegraphs, and barometers. There are rooms for displaying devices in different fields, such as meteorology, electricity, and pharmacy. Accompanying the pieces are descriptions of their history, impact, and where they came from. This is an excellent exhibit from which you can learn much for someone interested in geography, astrology, and natural sciences. However, if Galileo himself is the primary interest, you could be disappointed. While part of it concerns Galileo and his work, that is a small museum section. If Galileo fascinates you, head to Arcetri on the outskirts of Florence, where his house and observatory still stand today and which is a beautifully scenic 30-minute walk uphill from Piazzale Michelangelo. Piazza dei Giudici, 1, Florence
National Archaeological Museum
Born from the extensive collections of the Medici Family, the Archaeological Museum opened in 1818 before moving to its current location in 1880. It houses endless Etruscan, Roman, Greek, and Egyptian artifacts today. While lesser known, the Etruscans are an ancient civilization that resided in Tuscany beginning in 900 BC—the name Tuscany reflects this. They were eventually absorbed into the Roman Empire and significantly influenced the culture, including art. If you are a history buff, you could spend half a day here, but to see the highlights could take only an hour or two. One must-see piece is the Chimera of Arezzo. A masterful work with significance in mythology, it is regarded as the best example of Etruscan art. It is a large bronze sculpture with a lion’s head, a snake’s tail, and a goat’s head shooting off its body. Taking inspiration from the Etruscans, much of the Roman art also included bronze statues. The Egyptian exhibit was surprisingly large, including several sarcophaguses, mummies, and a chariot. The Greek section is full of impressive ceramics, particularly vases, some taller than people. Most are painted with depictions of hunts, battles, and animals. The museum is included in the Uffizi Galleries annual card but needs crowds that overwhelm the other museums.
Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, 9b, Florence
Written by Spring 2024 student Brian Slupecki