10 Under-the-Radar Museums in Florence

A must-see for science buffs, La Specola—part of the University of Florence’s Natural History Museum near Pitti Palace—houses around 1,400 wax anatomical models dating from the 18th century. These meticulous replicas were commissioned by scientists and physicians as well as Medici dukes and popes, and are now on display as veritable works of art.

Today, only part of this vast collection is regularly open to visitors, so it’s worth booking a tour through the museum to access all eight halls. Once you’ve admired the anatomical models, head to the zoological exhibition, featuring thousands of taxidermied animals from across the globe.

Don’t miss: La Venere, the only wax model in the collection with removable sections to reveal the organs beneath.

Of all the surprising sights in Florence, Galileo’s mummified finger may be the most macabre. Removed from the Renaissance scientist’s body 95 years after his death, this odd relic is now on display at the Galileo Museum, surrounded by the luminary’s telescopes and other scientific instruments. Other fragments of Galileo’s body are also held by the museum, including an index finger, thumb, and tooth.

Don’t miss: The monumental sundial in the square just outside the museum’s entrance, with its whimsical lizard-viper marking noon with the shadow of its tail.

Delve into the mind of a Renaissance icon in Florence’s Leonardo da Vinci Museum. Marvel at dozens of life-sized models of Leonardo’s inventions based on his original sketches, interact with multimedia exhibits to learn about his life and work, or try your hand at building the luminary’s arched bridge, dome, and polyhedra in the museum workshop.

Don’t miss: Da Vinci’s armored vehicle, the only interactive prototype of this precursor to today’s military tank in the world.

Founded in Florence by Guccio Gucci in 1921, Gucci is now one of the most famous fashion labels in the world. Gucci Garden, a chic museum in the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia, boasts a permanent collection of trend-setting designs, a boutique, and the Gucci Osteria led by Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura—making it a must-see for any fashionista in Florence.

Don’t miss: Guccio Gucci’s first luggage designs, created while he was working as a porter at London’s Savoy Hotel.

Ferragamo shoes are more works of art than footwear, so it’s easy to understand why there is an entire museum dedicated to the brand’s history and designs. Founder Salvatore Ferragamo purchased the 13th-century Palazzo Spini Feroni in the 1930s to serve as the company headquarters and workshop, and today the site displays thousands of shoes designed between 1920 and 1960, plus temporary exhibitions about the designer’s life and legacy.

Don’t miss: The collection of custom wooden shoe forms (called lasts) made for some of Hollywood’s most famous stars, including Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich.

Set in the busiest corner of Florence just steps from the cathedral, the Museo Opificio delle Pietre Dure is dedicated to the Florentine art of pietre dure, a technique of using tiny pieces of semi-precious stones to create painting-like images. This often-overlooked museum showcases inlaid tabletops, cabinet doors, and even a massive fireplace face, and is an ideal destination for any lover of alternative arts.

Don’t miss: The Stone Flowers section of the museum, which is dedicated to 17th- and 18th-century floral motifs—some so intricate that it’s hard to believe that they are made of stone.

Uncover Florence’s collection of 20th- and 21st-century Italian art at the little-known Museo Novecento. After Florence’s devastating flood in 1966, several artists donated more than 400 works to the city: these paintings, sculptures, photography, and other media make up the heart of the Museo Novecento collection and include works by De Chirico, Severini, Morandi, and other leading Italian artists from the past century.

Don’t miss: The museum’s outdoor loggia, decorated with lunette reliefs by Andrea della Robbia, which hark back to the building’s former life as a 16th-century hospital.

Curated by Herbert Percy Horne, an English antiquarian, the Horne Museum collection includes paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewelry, furnishings, and fabrics from the 14th to 16th centuries, unearthed in the city’s markets over decades. A stroll around the museum offers a rare glimpse of what an aristocratic Florentine home would have looked like back when the Medicis ruled the city and Michelangelo called it home.

Don’t miss: Masterpieces like Giotto’s St. Stephen, the Pietà of Christ by Filippo Lippi, and a triptych by Pietro Lorenzetti.

Set in an elegant Renaissance complex designed by Brunelleschi, the Ospedale degli Innocenti was established in the 15th century to house Florence’s abandoned and orphaned children, and the institute is still operational today. Art enthusiasts may come to see the small but excellent picture gallery, but the most unique part of the complex is the museum dedicated to the history of the orphanage and the children who lived here. See objects left along with infants in the archival drawers, browse historic photos, and get some added insight from modern video interviews. After you’ve explored the museum, head to the rooftop cafè for a cappuccino with a view.

Don’t miss: The moving collection of small personal objects found with infants when they were abandoned.

Located off the tourist track, the Stibbert Museum is a quirky Wunderkammer of art and artifacts donated to Florence by English collector Frederick Stibbert in the 19th century. The museum is located north of the historic center, in Stibbert’s former residence, and its halls hold antique paintings and tapestries, furniture, costumes, and armor. This little-known gem is surrounded by a vast garden decorated with statues and pavilions, plus follies built to look like ancient ruins and an Egyptian temple—plus, it’s never too crowded, making it the perfect compliment to a city tour of the A-list sights.

Don’t miss: The Sala della Cavalcata, with life-sized European and Ottoman knights dressed in full armor and displayed in military formation.