Opera del Duomo Museum

About

The Opera del Duomo Museum in Florence preserves the artistic soul of the city’s great cathedral complex. Inside its modern galleries, visitors encounter masterpieces originally created for the Duomo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, and the Baptistery, many of which were brought indoors for protection. The museum’s centrepiece is the vast Hall of Paradise, where a full‑scale reconstruction of the cathedral’s medieval façade faces Lorenzo Ghiberti’s restored Gates of Paradise. Nearby stands Michelangelo’s moving Bandini Pietà, a late, unfinished work believed to have been intended for his own tomb. Donatello’s expressive sculptures, delicate reliefs by Luca della Robbia, and treasures from the Baptistery complete a journey through seven centuries of Florentine devotion and craftsmanship. Quiet, beautifully lit, and thoughtfully curated, the museum offers one of the most intimate encounters with Renaissance art in the city.

Florence Italy

Location

Opera del Duomo Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo) is located at Piazza del Duomo 9, just behind the cathedral’s dome on the eastern side of Florence’s Piazza del Duomo. It stands directly opposite the east end of Florence Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore), placing it within a very short walk of Brunelleschi’s Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, all clustered around the same square. The museum is also only a few minutes on foot from the wider historic center, including landmarks such as Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery, making it an easy stop on any central Florence itinerary.