Orsanmichele. Un nuovo museo

Orsanmichele is the place where sacred and profane meet, blending religious and civil life.

Since 2015, the Orsanmichele Complex, which became part of the Bargello Museums, has required significant work in terms of security, maintenance, and new management to allow it to remain open to the public on a continuous basis.

The most significant intervention was an extensive restoration and redevelopment project, designed to combine conservation, functional adaptation, and improved accessibility.

The work, entrusted to a temporary group of professionals led by architect Tommaso Barni, was completed in December 2023 and included, among other interventions, the opening of the historic doors, the installation of glass and metal security doors, new accessibility solutions, an innovative lighting design, the rearrangement of the museum, the replacement and screening of the windows, and the conservative restoration of the statues. The volume dedicated to this project—produced in a bilingual Italian/English version—documents the high level of professionalism of the designers and companies involved, as well as the craftsmanship and technical attention given to every detail.

Today, Orsanmichele is once again accessible and enhanced: the church appears bright and welcoming, and the museum restores the monumentality of the statues and the magnificence of 14th-century architecture. The project is considered a model of management and a virtuous example of the restoration of a unique monument for public enjoyment.