What are some lesser-known art attractions in Florence?
This is a question to ask if you are the type of person who wants to go beyond a destination’s most obvious tourist attractions. Those who find a villa in Florence and are diving into the rich history of art and design in this important art capital will likely consider visits to the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia, the Duomo. These key art institutions are home to works by some of the most famous names in the history of art but if you want to go beyond these more well-known gems and see something else, then read on for our guide to some of the city’s less familiar museums and galleries that are equally fascinating wonders and incredible reflections of this extraordinary cultural titan of a holiday destination. Book your holiday rental in Florence with Italy Villas and then come explore:
This museum is the former home of British architect and art historian Herbert Percy Horne and was designed to house his incredible collection of objects and art while replicating a Renaissance home. Boasting works by artists such as Giotto, Simone Martini, Masaccio, Filippino Lippi, Domenico Beccafumi, Giambologna, and others with pieces from the 13th to the 17th centuries, this gem is a true treasure box. In addition to incredible works of art, you will discover amazing furnishings, curiosities, and more, all in the stunning building that is Palazzo Corsi on Via de’ Benci, right in the historic core of the city.
The official museum space of this beloved Tuscan heritage brand, the Gucci Garden was opened in 2011 and is home to a stunning museum space that traces the history of the label back to its foundation in 1921 and presents items from throughout the decades as art objects in plush surroundings. Located inside a stunning palazzo in the city’s famous Piazza della Signoria, the Gucci Garden is also home to a Gucci Bookshop, a Gucci boutique (with the normal collections as well as some pieces unique to the Gucci Garden), and a restaurant. So, for a full Gucci experience, you need go no further!
Another former home of a wealthy art collector, Frederick Stibbert, the Stibbert Museum is the result of decades of collecting and then donating the entire thing to a foundation so that it could be opened to the public. Home to some 50,000 objects from armour from various countries to porcelain objects and rare books to paintings, it is another wonderful space in which to take in an extraordinary array of beautiful things from both Italy and all over the world.
A spectacular natural history museum, La Specola boasts an unbelievable 8 million specimens collected over the course of five centuries and presented in the surroundings of an utterly stunning historic building. Those with an interest in the beauty of the natural world as well as manmade wonders and who want to learn more about the planet and beyond will find lots to inform, intrigue, and startle here! (Note: La Specola, as of 2023, is currently closed temporarily for refurbishment.)
Art, design, fashion, science – Florence boasts some of the most extraordinary museums that fall into each of these categories and sometimes even combine them! If you love to learn and look at beautiful and fascinating things and you find yourself in the city after booking a villa in Florence then these are some of the museums that you should take note of. Though not unknown, they are a little bit more off the beaten path for most tourists spending time in the city but have a lot to offer the discerning visitor to this part of Tuscany.