Duomo Museum

This is the quiet heart behind Florence’s most famous monuments. The museum gathers centuries of work from the cathedral complex; original sculptures, tools, reliquaries, and architectural elements, presented in a way that explains how the Duomo, Baptistery, and bell tower were actually built. The standout space is the great hall, where a full reconstruction of the cathedral’s original medieval façade faces a lineup of monumental sculptures. Seeing these pieces at ground level, rather than high on the exterior where they once stood, gives a rare sense of their scale and detail. Donatello’s Penitent Magdalene is another highlight, raw and expressive in a way that contrasts sharply with the grand marble around it. Smaller rooms add depth: the preserved machinery used for raising stones, the glittering reliquaries, and the treasury pieces that once defined the cathedral’s ceremonial life. The museum also protects masterpieces displaced by the 1966 flood, including Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, which can finally be studied without weathered grime obscuring the scenes. A calm, well-organized place that ties the whole Duomo complex together, offering context that the monuments outside can’t provide on their own.

If you're in the area and had the tickets for Brunelleschi dome booked, it's a no breather that you'll probably want to add this onto the tickets package. The museum is so well arranged and offered so much in terms of history and culture. To be honest, I'm not sure much a big fan of museum but this one really opened my eyes given how well the artifacts are presented.