The Museo dell’Opificio, opened in 1882, is a branch of the art workshop that works hard semi-precious stones, founded in 1588 by Grand Duke Ferdinand I of the Medici. Its collections include works of great refinement that cover the entire manufacturing activity that lasted three centuries. The current layout of the Museum, dating back to 1995, was conceived by architect Adolfo Natalini. The exhibition path narrates the origins of the workshop, beginning with some of the first Florentine examples of the mosaic stone work technique. Of particular interest are works related to the incomplete monumental altar in semi-precious stone conceived for the Chapel of the Princes at San Lorenzo (see Medici Chapels), a magnificent structure commissioned by Ferdinand I to preserve the remains of the Medici dynasty. Among the creations of the Lorraine period, there are mosaic “paintings” executed upon the models of the Florentine painter Giuseppe Zocchi, who collaborated with the workshop from 1750 to 1767. A series of 19th century halls document the vitality of the Opicifio during the post-unification period, when complex works were executed using a vast range of materials. During the visit, it is possible to view the entire process, from creation to the finished work, and discover the most intrinsic mechanisms of a charming episode of Florentine art history.