The Salone Donatello of the Basilica of San Lorenzo opens its doors to an exhibition that is not religious, but that exalts the Creator by highlighting nature. Natura collecta, Natura exhibita is an exhibition that brings a scientific collection with more than 150 objects, from the times of the Medici to the present day.
Among the “jewels” on display is the jasper quartz cup engraved with the initials “LaurMed” by Lorenzo de ‘Medici. There is a cape made with the feathers of Hybris rubra, a tropical bird, which was used by the priests of the cult of the Sun god of the pre-Columbian population of the Tupinambás, also donated to the Medici family. And yet, the pair of lion monkeys collected by Giuseppe Raddi, sent by the Grand Duke to accompany Princess Leopoldina of Habsburg, bride of Crown Prince Dom Pedro de Bragança, in Brazil in 1817, or the great oil paintings by Bartolomeo Bimbi that depict flowers and fruits, in a fascinating combination of art and science.
The exhibition also serves as a temporary site for another great Florentine heritage, the famous waxworks at the “La Specola” Museum, which is currently closed for restoration.
Natura collecta, Natura exhibita
Naturalist collection in Florence, from the Medici to the Natural History Museum
The exhibition “Natura Collecta, Natura Exhibita” is open from Monday to Saturday, from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm (last entrance 45 minutes before closing), in the monumental underground of the San Lorenzo Complex (Salone Donatello).
Access is via the Basilica in Piazza San Lorenzo 9 in Florence.
The University Museum System also organizes guided tours. For reservations: tel. 055.756444 / e-mail edumsn@unifi.it
The ticket price is €7 and includes access to the route and a visit to part of the San Lorenzo Complex. No reservation required.
How to visit, free and discounts on the Opera Medicea Laurenziana website.