Archive for 'Museums & Galleries'

In the town of San Gimignano, in Tuscany, there is a very unusual and special museum. Called San Gimignano 1300, this museum displays a beautiful, large and super detailed miniature reconstruction of the town during the Middle Ages, allowing us to see it as it would have looked like at the height of its splendour. This special miniature was created by a team of artists and architects. Located near the centre of the town and free of charge to visit, it's a lovely way to spend an afternoon, wandering around the exhibit and marvelling at the astounding reconstruction. It's also an especially engaging way to involve children in becoming interested in the history of the area. Just find a luxury villa in San Gimignano and stop by the museum to see how the town used to look.

If you are fond of pretty, precious, sparkling things, then there is a shop and museum in the Tuscan town of Arezzo that will be right up your street. UnoAErre is a goldsmith, jewellery and watchmaking company based in the city. The company was founded on March 15, 1926 by Leopoldo Gori and Carlo Zucchi and the name comes from “1AR”, the identification mark indicated on the punch affixed to products. In 1988, they opened a museum to complement their practices and this is a wonderful place to spend time being dazzled by the goods made by the company. Find a villa with pool in Arezzo and you can pop in and admire the skill and beauty on display.

One of the things that Tuscany is most well known for is its distinctive and stunning landscape which appeared prominently in the works of Renaissance masters such as Leonardo da Vinci. It might seem unusual but unsurprising, then, that Tuscany has its own Landscape Museum. Located in the city of Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the southern area of Chianti Classico near Siena, the Landscape Museum records, illustrates and celebrates the beautiful landscape of Tuscany. Find yourself a villa with pool in Castelnuovo Berardenga and you can explore this historic city and its unique landscape museum!

The Costume Gallery of Florence is housed in the seventeenth-century wing of Palazzo Pitti, known as the Palazzina della Meridiana. It was founded in 1983 and through both major acquisitions and public and private donations, its collection now boasts over 6,000 objects, making it one of the best, and most important, fashion museums in the whole world. For any serious history or fashion buffs, as well as well-read fashionistas, it's a must-see in one of Italy's most historic fashion centres.

The Bargello is one of the best and most important art museums in Florence and is set inside one of the oldest buildings in the city. Dating back to 1255, it was originally the headquarters of the Capitano del Popolo and later of the Podestà. In the sixteenth century, it became the residence of the Bargello (head of the police) and was used as prison during the whole 18th century. The building became a National Museum as of the mid-19th century. If you have a particular fondness for sculpture, especially early works by great masters such as Donatello and Michelangelo, this is just the museum for you.