Museo dell'Opificio delle Pietre Dure
This visit is a unique opportunity to understand the technical and artistic processes behind Florence's most exquisite and enduring luxury art form. The Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Workshop of Semi-Precious Stones) was founded by the Medici Grand Dukes in 1588 to create the stunning mosaics and hard-stone inlays that decorated their palaces and the tombs in the Medici Chapels. At the museum, you'll see a dazzling collection of finished works, from tabletops and plaques to elaborate pictorial scenes, and a fascinating array of materials and tools used in this highly specialized craft. This behind-the-scenes look at the workshop will illuminate the meticulous techniques of commesso—the art of cutting and fitting polished stones to create intricate images—and its role in defining the grand-ducal patronage of the late Cinquecento and beyond.
If you are unable to access our online registration portal, any form or duration of enrolment may be requested by simply sending an email to bif@britishinstitute.it