There is. It's part of the Galleria dell'Accademia. So, you can check it out while visiting David. I recall going to see it many, many years ago, but, at that time, I think it was elsewhere.
Here is a website which lists various Italian museums of musical instruments. If you scroll down, you'll find information about the one in Florence. I'm confused, though, because that listing says the collection is installed in the Palazzo Vecchio, which may be where we visited it, though it identifies it as part of the Accademia. Perhaps one or more of the several people on this board who have been in Florence more recently can untangle this perplexity.
The owner of the collection is the Florence music conservatory; but they have no exhibition spaces, so the collection was for long time waiting for a proper space, and it travelled also to Palazzo Vecchio. In 1996 space was found at Accademia museum (that, by the way, shares the building with the conservatory). This explains why the collection "travelled" between different places.
Particularly interesting is a tenor viola by Stradivari, part of quintet of string instruments commissioned by Ferdinando the Medici (only two of the instruments are in Florence now). The tenor viola was oversized and barely playable, so it is exactly in the same state as Stradivari built it, having been never altered or restored - only very few instruments in the world are this way, as almost all were partially rebuilt in 19th century when the music taste changed.
There are also a couple of harpsichords by Bartolomeo Cristofori, that in a few years would build the very first piano (now lost).
Ann, Thank You so much for this information! I will check out the link right away. We already have reservations for the Accademia, so that is terrific!!
itarchivarius, thanks so much for this further information! You folks really are amazing virtual fountains of information!! I look forward to seeing these instruments, and I know my daughter will be delighted!
There is also a fortepiano society across the arno, the predecessor to the piano! They give concerts too fortepiano society across the arno, the predecessor to the piano!
We went to the musical instrument exhibit after seing "David"; and enjoyed it just as much. They had interactive computer displays that you could listen to music on as well. It's well worthwhile seeing these lovely instruments.
