The Historical and Ethnographic Museum of Bruscoli showcases the heritage of the Apennine area through archaeological finds, local traditions and wartime history. The exhibition is divided into three main sections:

• Geo-archaeological finds

• Customs and traditions of rural life

• Second World War artefacts, especially related to the Gothic Line, the site of intense fighting in this area

Documents, models and reconstructions help visitors understand the historical events and cultural identity of the region.

Founded by the Ubaldini family in the 7th century, the Convent of Bosco ai Frati is one of the oldest in Tuscany. It was first home to Basilian monks and, from 1212, to the Franciscan friars.

Between 1427 and 1436, both the church and the convent were rebuilt based on a design by Michelozzo Michelozzi, commissioned by Cosimo de’ Medici.

The artistic heritage is remarkable: the highlight is the extraordinary wooden crucifix attributed to Donatello, housed in the Chapter House. Other important works include the large altar (1626) gifted by Grand Duke Ferdinand II, and paintings by artists such as Jacopo Ligozzi, Lodovico Cardi “Cigoli”, Antonio del Ceraiolo, Vincenzo Rustici, Francesco Curradi, and Olinto Bandinelli.

The collection also includes terracotta and plaster works, including the striking Last Supper by Fra Edoardo Rossi, alongside the precious volumes kept in the convent’s historical library.

The Cultural Space “War and Memory” of Firenzuola is a museum dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of local military history, with special focus on events connected to this Apennine territory along the Gothic Line during the Second World War. Located in the historic center, it offers visitors a large collection of authentic artifacts, including documents, photographs, and objects from various nationalities and historical periods.

The museum is housed on the second floor of the former Seminary, a historic building that adds charm to the exhibition.

On May 2nd, 2004, a museum entirely dedicated to the painter Andrea del Castagno was inaugurated inside the Visitor Center of Castagno d’Andrea, near Mount Falterona. The aim of the Virtual Museum, located at the entrance to the Natural Park, is to introduce visitors both to the artist and to the natural environment that played a key role in his childhood.

Even if the artist achieved success far from his birthplace, the rugged beauty of these mountains influenced his artistic style.

Copies of his most famous masterpieces, created during his Florentine period (from 1440 onwards), guide the visitor through these places of memory.

The path starts with a reproduction of the Lamentation on Christ, based on the stained-glass window of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. Many images follow, leading the viewer into real space.

Reproductions of his most important works, The Passion and The Last Supper (made for the Cenacolo in Santa Apollonia), are displayed on the second floor, along with images related to the series of the Famous Men for Villa Carducci in Legnaia; Saint Julian, the Holy Trinity and Saint Jerome.

Each panel shows pictures of the buildings and places where the artworks are located today.

This museum was created because no original works by Andrea del Castagno remain in his birthplace, and local institutions wished to highlight the connection between the artist and his origins.

Space of culture, meeting and community planning.

A small special place that hosts contemporary art exhibitions, but also workshops, meetings, experiments, planning and dreams.

The main objective of the Centre is to promote dissemination campaigns on the subject of the chestnut plant through both innovative computer systems and demonstration systems.

Among the other objectives of the programme are: greater information aimed at users, substantial growth in unit production through innovative management of the chestnut grove, and greater involvement of young people in the conduct of the new chestnut growing which is intended to be promoted with this project.

Particular importance is also given to the revival of ancient crafts through the acquisition of traditional equipment, the promotion and stimulation in schools of the theme of the chestnut landscape and related products, the reenactment of traditional mountain gastronomy, and the training of professionals such as nature and landscape operators, food and wine operators, agronomic operators, commercial operators, and technological operators.

Educational courses are created for primary and secondary school and university students, without excluding amateurs and naturalists. Bibliographic material kept at the Centre is at their disposal.

The Centre also hosts the permanent exhibition “The chestnut tree and its resources”.

The museum features two main routes:

• National route, which tells the story of the development of elementary school in Italy from the unification of the country to the 1950s. Exhibits include historical school objects: desks, folders, notebooks, pens, school manuals, photographs, wall charts and more.

• Local route, dedicated to the schools of Firenzuola and Mugello. This section displays school desks from rural schools (including those of the ONB — Opera Nazionale Balilla), documents from local schools, objects, photographs and historical material related to school life in the area.

• The museum also preserves two very rare benches found in the attic of the Rectory of the Church of San Piero Santerno: one with six seats (early 1800s) and one with four seats (mid-1800s).