In 1881, Stefano Bardini, a prominent antiquarian and collector, commissioned a neo-classical palace – in which building materials and monumental items from churches and noble residences were also employed – to house a museum for his collection of sculptures, paintings, furniture, ceramics, tapestries, arms and musical instruments. With some changes to the structure and the addition of some authentic architectural elements such as tympanums, portals and stairs, the antiquarian Bardini transformed the old building, once the church and convent of San Gregorio della Pace, into a charming neo-Renaissance palace suitable for housing not only the exhibition gallery but also a series of laboratories where the works of art were restored, ready to be sold. After years of intense business activity, decided to transform his collection into a museum and donate it to the Municipality of Florence.