A surprise gem in Florence, Italy is the Museo degli Innocenti, which tells the story of the children who were orphaned and taken in by the organization given that the 1400s. “The Institute was established in 1419 under the patronage of the Silk Guild to care for abandoned children, thanks to a bequest in the will of Prato merchant Francesco Datini and other Florentine merchants. Construction of the building was turned over to Filippo Brunelleschi. Like every other hospitality center of the period, it took the name Ospedale (or Spedale). Its activities started on February 5, 1445, with the arrival of the first child, who was offered the name Agata e Smeralda.” (Museum site)
The schedule begins in the basement of the museum where you see thoughtful displays of some artifacts and a good timeline. The highlight for me of this area was the digitized stories of the kids going back to the first orphan (innocent) in the 1400s. Also on screen in this area were some of the individual items the kids were entrusted, including half medallions or coins so that their moms and dads could later on claim them.
On the ground level, you can wander around and see the initial architecture of the building. The rest of the museum includes a Gallery of Frescoes (fabulous), an art gallery (simply as magnificent) and a caffe (beautiful views of the city). There are instructional areas of the museum for children and there is likewise a rich archive (off limitations to visitors though). The Historical Archives maintain the memory of the ancient healthcare facility and those who lived there.This museum stimulates the Florentine Renaissance and its brand-new conception of male.
History of the Institute
“In 1419, the Corporazione dell’Arte della Seta di Por Santa Maria was commissioned to develop the Hospital of Santa Maria degli Innocenti thanks to a contribution of 1,000 florins from the Prato merchant Francesco Datini earmarked for the shelter of abandoned kids. The style of the structure was entrusted to Filippo Brunelleschi, at that time likewise engaged in the building of the dome of Florence Cathedral. The Ospedale degli Innocenti hence became “the location of appeal” designated to take in abandoned children.
The healthcare facility was inaugurated on February 5, 1445, with the arrival of the first newborn, who was offered the name Agata e Smeralda, in honor of the saint of the day. The center provided shelter to girls and infants left anonymously in the stack under the outside loggia, later on changed with a iron window, still noticeable today near the entrance to the Institute. Kids upon arrival were positioned in the care of an in-house damp nurse service: poor women, frequently single women or mothers of children taken in by the organization itself. As time went on, the external nannies, to whom the little ones were sent, ended up being a lot more numerous. They lived ideally in the countryside, because it was believed that the environment and wholesome food favored the production of good milk, helpful for the growth of the exposed ones. Those who endured the high baby mortality rate of the time would then return to the Institute: the young boys to attend school and learn a trade, the ladies to discover weaving or to do domestic work with the rich households of Florence, making the dowry that would allow them to wed or more rarely to go into the convent.” (Museum website)
In the 1500s, the curriculum was expanded to music, painting, abacus, sewing, and weaving. Ladies were taught to read and compose, in addition to young boys. From the 1600s, the hospital grew with the times. “Beginning in the 1700s, attention also focused on protecting children’s health, establishing particular locations of clinical investigation, promoted by distinguished doctors who were studying new methods of rearing and treating childhood illness. It was throughout this age that the first experiments in artificial feeding, smallpox avoidance, and the development of obstetric and pediatric science began.” (Museum website)
Although the patronage of the Institute changed over time, they continued to support the children of Florence … even through 2 world wars. This museum distinctively informs the story of those frequently forgotten in society– the bad. Florence is filled with art and treasures; it is truly an abbundance of riches. I understand that many first-timers currently have a list of sites to see, but if you’re looking for a lesser-visited, unique, quality experience, I suggest the Museo degli Innocenti.
Delighted journeys! Amy
Museum Site:
https://www.museodeglinnocenti.it/en/museo/storia/
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Rosary beads entrusted to Luigi, 1833 Half medallion so parents could recover kid 
