Museum
The Museum annexed to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, today a modern research and training centre of art restoration and conservation, descends directly from the art workshop founded in 1588 by Ferdinando I de’ Medici for working semi-precious stones. The assortment of pieces from the prestigious Medici and Lorraine collections traces the workshop’s journey through three centuries of history.
Il Museo dell’Opificio delle Pietre Dure a Firenze
Plan your visit to the Museum
Opening Hours
Monday – Saturday 8:15 am – 2:00 pm
Ticket office and bookshop close at 1:30 PM
Closed Sundays, public holidays, and June 24 for the feast of the patron saint of Florence.
Location
via degli Alfani, 78. 50121 – Florence
The museum is accessible to people with motor disabilities.
Online reservations and ticketing:OPD Museum Tickets
Ticketing Call Center:
Tel. 800 615 615 – from Italy
Tel. +39 055 0354135 +39 055 0354135 – from abroad
Thematic sections
The Museum’s organisation is a mirror of the experiences and events that characterised the centuries-old Grand Ducal workshop specialised in semi-precious stones. Its layout dates back to 1995 and was designed by the architect Adolfo Natalini. The rearrangement of the collection, curated by Anna Maria Giusti, follows a chronological and thematic criterion: the first rooms document the productions during the Grand Duchy of the Medici and Lorraine, while the nineteenth-century rooms display those of the post-Unification period.
The mezzanine floor of the hall is dedicated to manufacturing techniques: from a rich assortment of stones, to workbenches and tools, and to the didactic exemplification of inlay and carving work. It is thus possible to retrace the complete creation process of Florentine commesso (or mosaic) masterpieces and discover the secrets of this fascinating episode of Florentine art history.
Next section
Notices
Exhibitions, events, and special openings
Special guided tours organised by the “Associazione Amici dell’Opificio”.
Requests for guided tours of the restoration laboratories should be addressed to the secretariat of the Association writing an email to: annalisa.innocenti@amiciopificio.org. For information, please ring +39 055 2651314 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
A fee is required per group and per visit and should be paid in advance by bank transfer to the Association.