Museums & galleries
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
This museum houses the original artworks that once decorated Florence Cathedral, the Baptistery, and Giotto's bell tower, most of which have been replaced outside by copies. Inside you'll find sculptures by Donatello and Michelangelo (including his unfinished Florentine Pietà), the original panels from Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise, and older facade decorations removed from the cathedral over the centuries. It's the best place to see this sculpture up close, since the copies outdoors can't be approached as closely and lose detail over time.
Getting there
It sits directly behind the cathedral apse, a short walk from anywhere in central Florence. From the Duomo itself it's about a minute on foot; from Piazza della Signoria, plan on roughly 5-7 minutes walking.
Time to allow
Most visitors spend 1.5 to 2 hours here, longer if you want to study the Gates of Paradise panels and the Pietà in detail.
When to go
Because it's less well known than the cathedral or the dome climb, it tends to be calmer, but it still draws crowds during peak midday hours in high season. Visiting earlier in the day generally means fewer people in the main galleries.
Combine with
- Giotto's Campanile and Florence Baptistery (0.1km) — see the originals here, then view where the replicas now stand.
- Gates of Paradise (0.1km) — the museum holds the original doors; the ones on the Baptistery are copies.
- Piazza del Duomo (0.1km) — the whole square can reasonably be covered in a single visit.
Updated September 20, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
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