The Museo degli Innocenti

The publication traces the history of the Museo degli Innocenti and describes the rich heritage offered by the three current thematic visit Itinerary : history, architecture and art. The historical section illustrates the evolution of the Hospital, from its origins to the 20th century, through works of art, archival materials, biographies and testimonies of those who lived there. The section on architecture includes Filippo Brunelleschi's famous Loggiato and the Institute's monumental courtyards, which we can now admire in their original appearance after centuries of transformations related to the needs of welcoming children.

The Art Gallery, above the front loggia, displays the art collection of theIstituto degli Innocenti: more than 80 works from the 14th century to the 17th century. Artists include Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Piero di Cosimo, Luca and Andrea della Robbia. Beyond the Gallery, the Nurse Prayer Coretto preserves devotional and liturgical objects used in the past by the great Innocenti family.

The volume can be purchased in the Museum Bookshop. It is available for reference at the Innocenti Library and in its Online Catalog.