We spent 2 hours here. This is an excellent museum…read more We learned a lot. Did not know that Prato is THE textile capital of Europe. You should take the 23 minute train ride from Firenze and come here.

Pietre Dure is one of the lesser known and visited museums in Florence. It's a rather small museum…read morebut the fact that it is not crammed with tourists is certainly refreshing. The first floor of the museum consists of several galleries depicting the cultural significance of inlaid stonework during the renaissance while the second floor is an actual Pietre Dure workshop where one can learn about the arduous process by which these intricate tables are put together. The entire museum should take no longer than an hour making it a nice stop before lunch / dinner on a busy day. The museum entrance is also only 4eu (or free with an Uffizi ticket) which is refreshing when compared to other museums in town. Overall a great spot to see some beautiful examples of Renaissance inlaid stonework and craftsmanship. Worth a visit if you only have a bit of time to spare.

As you stand in awe, staring at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, there's a little voice in your…read morehead asking, "How in the world are they preserving/restoring this place?" The laboratory/workshop that restores timeless pieces of art is located at the Opificio Delle Pietre Dure. I had the opportunity to get a private tour through a corporate host for an event. Not only is it a lab, but its a school training students in the art of restoration. As you can imagine, its a painstaking process. Had glimpses into the processes of restoring bronze, stone & ceramic. Our group spent the most time in the mosaics lab. After observing the process, there is a little museum where you can see pieces that have been restored. Its fantastic that Florentines, as a culture, has always valued restoration (The Opificio was founded in 1588). Today, the Opificio dell Pietre Dure e Laboratori de Restauro is an institute of the Ministry of Culture.

Interesting museum. Mostly pictures and paintings. Modern style. Nice cafe inside. Small museum…read moreshop.

This is a great little museum and there were only two other people in there when I visited…read more They've got a nifty collection of mummies, among other things.