Palazzo Davanzati

Before the Palazzo Davanzati was renovated in 2022, we often recommended this museum for families, but it should now be high on the list of anyone interested in the decorative arts as well. Yes, it is still a great choice, if your kids have had their fill of Renaissance painting and sculpture; as one of Indagare’s Florence guides recommends taking them to this palazzo, whose interiors have been refurbished with paintings, furniture and objects one would find in a typical Florentine house from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. But there is much more to this gem of a museum that is too often overlooked by visitors to Florence. Dating back to the mid-14th century, the Palazzo remains one of the best examples of an aristocratic medieval house. Thanks to antiques dealer Elia Volpi, the house was restored and turned into a house museum in 1904, and its decorative frescoed rooms reveal a rare glimpse of a decorative style of trompe l'oeil painted curtains and 15th century aesthetics. There are also great collections of armor and textiles.