The Museo Nazionale del Bargello is located in the ancient Palazzo del Podestà of Florence and, with royal decree of 22nd June 1865, it became the first Italian National Museum dedicated to the arts of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Important Renaissance sculptures were transferred here including masterpieces by Donatello, Luca della Robbia, Verrocchio, Michelangelo, and Benvenuto Cellini, mostly coming from the Medici-Grand Ducal collection. The museum was enriched over the years with superb models in bronze and terracotta, a collection of maiolica, waxes, enamels, medals, ivories, rugs, seals and fabrics coming from Medici collections, closed convents and donations. 

The Museum is articulated on three stories of the building: the ground floor features the charming courtyard and a room dedicated to Michelangelo with the sculptures of Michelangelo Buonarroti, Cellini, Giambologna, and Ammannati. In particular don’t miss the Bacchus by Michelangelo. The first floor features a huge room called the Sala di Donatello with the artist’s most famous works: his young David, Attis-amor, Saint George from Orsanmichele, and the original Marzocco or lion that sat outside of Palazzo della Signoria. In this room are also two small but significant bronze reliefs by the artists Ghiberti and Brunelleschi that were their submissions for a “contest” to create the first bronze doors of Florence’s Baptistery, a contest that Ghiberti won. This room also is home to another David by the sculptor Andrea Verrocchio, and to beautiful reliefs by the Della Robbia family.

Further rooms host the Carrand collection of Islamic art, the Chapel (with the most ancient effigy of Dante Alighieri), the Sala degli Avori (Ivories Hall), Sala del Trecento (14th century Hall), Sala delle Maioliche italiane (the Italian pottery Hall). The last floor is dedicated to one of the main collections of works of Andrea and Giovanni della Robbia, a room of bronzes, and the Medici armoury. The museum also frequently hosts special exhibitions, usually dedicated to late Renaissance sculpture.