Museo del Opera del Duomo

It's a mystery why this museum, in the shadow of the Duomo, is somewhat ignored. Well-organized and compact, it must feature more masterpieces per square inch than any other in the city. In the first room, you’ll find original marble sculptures taken from the bell tower of the Duomo’s cathedral (the four figures represent apostles and include Donatello’s St. John). One of Michelangelo’s unfinished Pietà, meanwhile, is located on a landing leading to the second floor. Observe the face of Nicodemus, the old man who supports Christ: it is thought to be Michelangelo himself, and an intensely moving self-portrait of the artist as pain-filled and world-weary. Upstairs, don’t miss a pair of 15th-century choir stalls, by Donatello and Luca della Robbia, which are displayed above eye level (as they were originally meant to be seen in the cathedral).