Visit the Lesser Known Museums of Florence with Firenzecard

If you're traveling to Florence and plan to visit more than a few of the city's famous locations and monuments, FirenzeCard is your golden ticket. This pass is a one-time purchase that grants access to some 58 museums in Florencey and surrounding areas. While, of course, it includes the major players – a certain Michelangelo - carved marble giant at the Accademia Gallery, for one! – it also provides the opportunity to explore some of the Renaissance city's lesser-known attractions, since the long list includes museums you may not have discovered on your own. Here are a few of our favorites – short on crowds, big on impact.

FirenzeCard Restart

By purchasing FirenzeCard you will be entitled, free of charge, to an additional 48 hours to visit all the museums on the circuit that you could not see.

How does Firenzecard Restart work?

Here's how it works. Once your FirenzeCard has expired, you can immediately activate the Firenzecard Restart offer if you are still in the city or within 12 months from the purchase of the card. Come back to Florence within 12 months and the museums you have not visited will still be available with priority access for 48 hours! Read more, Find out more about FirenzeCard.

Civic museums

The different collections of the Florentine civic museums are mainly kept in ancient buildings: Palazzo Vecchio and Santa Maria Novella museums, the Fondazione Salvatore Romano, located at the Santo Spirito cenacle, Stefano Bardini museum and Museo Novecento, located at the Spedale delle Leopoldine in Santa Maria Novella square.

The Bargello National Museum is housed in the historic Palazzo del Podestà in Florence. In 1865, the important building became the first National Museum dedicated to the arts of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. On the ground floor, you can admire the iconic courtyard and the Sala di Michelangelo with sculptures by Buonarroti, Cellini, Giambologna, and Ammannati; on the first floor, the famous Sala di Donatello exhibits his bronze, David.

Palazzo Pitti

Built on the orders of a Florentine merchant and banker named Luca Pitti, the palace was bought by Cosimo I de' Medici and his wife Eleonora di Toledo in 1549 to become the new ducal residence and center of the Medici court (this was when the name of Palazzo della Signoria was changed to Palazzo Vecchio).