The
Archaeological Musem
in Florence
is one of the most important
archaeological museums
in Italy, renowned for a very significant
Etruscan collection
and an extraordinary
Egyptian section
, the second one in Italy (the first is in Turin). In the 19th century a French-Tuscan expedition discovered preciuos Egyptian works that were moved half to the
Louvre
, and half to the newborn Egyptian Museum in Florence. Few years later, the Etruscan museum was opened in the same location. The 2 adjacent museums, both started with the
Medici and Lorraine collections
and then developed and increased, were gathered together in the current location, in
Santissima Annunziata Square
and inaugurated in 1880 at the presence of the
Savoy Royal Family
. The Egyptian section displays works from
Prehistory to the Copt Era
: steles, pottery, small bronzes, fabrics and statues and many other works as a military chariot (18th Dynasty), a pillar from the tomb of
Sety I
, the
“square lip”
faience goblet, the portrait of a lady from Fayum. The Etruscan section is composed by a huge collection of cinerary urns, sarcophagi, stone and bronze sculptures, small bronzes, home tools and pottery: big bronzes as the
Arezzo Chimera
, the
“Arringatore”
(Orator) and the
Minerva
; funenary sculptures as the stone
Mater Matuta
, the terracotta
Sarcophagus of Larthia Seianthi
, the painted marble
Sarcophagus of the Amazons
. The
Greek-Roman section
inlcudes important marbles and bronzes, along with a big collecion of Greek painted pottery, but the real gem of the museum is an
Attic black-figures crater called “Francois Vase”
. A new section ha recently been added, housing Etruscan and Roman precious stones, gems, cameos and jewellery.
Want see this museum skipping the line?
Book Now