Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Cathedral museum near Piazza del Duomo, Florence, Italy
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is a religious art museum in Florence that houses medieval and Renaissance works originally from the Cathedral complex. The collection spreads across 28 rooms on three floors, organized by period and subject to guide visitors through the artistic evolution.
The museum was founded in 1891 to preserve and display artworks removed from the Cathedral for conservation or during restoration projects. A major expansion took place between 2011 and 2015, incorporating the former Teatro Nuovo building to accommodate the growing collection.
The collection displays Ghiberti's bronze doors, known as the Gates of Paradise, with ten gilded panels that once stood at the Baptistery entrance for centuries. Visitors can also view works by Donatello, including a wooden sculpture of Mary Magdalene, preserved here after removal from the cathedral interior.
The museum opens daily from half past eight in the morning until half past seven in the evening, except on the first Tuesday of each month for maintenance. The galleries are accessible by elevator, and the exhibition route follows a clear path with multilingual signage throughout.
Several exhibition rooms recreate sections of the Cathedral's architecture, positioning sculptures and reliefs as they originally appeared on the building. This approach allows visitors to understand the spatial relationships and viewing angles intended by the artists.
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