At only €4.00, the Bargello is one of the better deals in town. A surprisingly large museum devoted to statuary and objets d’art hived off from the Medici bequest that formed the basis of the Uffizi collection it is certainly much better value than the scanty Accademia. From the exterior it is an unpreposessing fortress of a building. Until 1502 this was the seat of the town’s governing magistrate or Podesta. In George Elliot’s ‘Romola’ the heroine’s kindly godfather is executed here, accused of plotting the return of the Medici. The building served as police headquarters and prison until Florence’s assimilation into the Kingdom of Italy.

The visitor enters into a tall courtyard emblazoned with the coats of arms of generations of magistrates. A wide stone staircase leads up to a loggia. But first double back into the the main ground floor room. Your first sight will be of Giambologna’s ‘Winged Mercury’ sprouting from a man’s mouth. Head left and there are some good works by Michelangelo – a bust of Brutus (a bit political when you recall his cry of ‘sic semper tyrannus’), the charming round Tondo Pitti, and a woozy-looking Bacchus, sculpted when he was just 22. There are a couple more statues of Bacchus here by other sculptors, all looking more-or-less the worse for drink. Look out also for Ammannati’s Leda being well and truly nuzzled by her swan lover.

There are more birds on the loggia. Here you will find an entire aviary of cast birdlife – owls, hens, hawks and a turkey included. It is here that Romola stands torn in the Elliot novel as followers of her mentor Savonarola kill her beloved godfather.

Next door we find not one, but two ‘David’s, both by Donatello, one in marble, one in bronze. The latter lay flat on its back, as the conservation authorities have decided to restore the statue in situ, under the full gaze of the public. It is expected that this delicate work will take until the end of 2008. One and a half metres tall, this David wears boots and a cap, but has tragically forgotten to put on the rest of his clothing. In Donatello’s eyes David is a puckish boy, not the mighty muscular warrior of Michelangelo’s reckoning.

On this floor we also have a collection of Islamic artwork, and a chamber of ivories. Ever parochial, I found myself drawn to a stunning little English quadryptich (?) – four individuals carved from bone in the late 14th century. There is also a rather nice double-sided chess / backgammon board.

On the top floor there are lots of della Robbia ceramics. Don’t like ‘em. They look like the sort of twee excrescences you would find despoiling a late Victorian chapel, all pretty-pretty ‘Ooh, aren’t children sweet’ saccharine-ness. Bleurgh. However, there is also a salon with fantastic (literally!) weaponry – ornate polearms, crested helmets, and nine-barrelled pistols (for when your eight-barrelled pistol just isn’t enough…)

At €4.00, the Bargello is a snip.You see a lot more works by Michelangelo here than you do in the Accademia, and in addition you get works by many other great artists. I find it hard to understand why Donatello’s two Davids are not on the main tourist train, but Michelangelo’s poorly-proportioned version is. Still, it does mean that you avoid the worst of the crowds at the Bargello. Let’s just kep it our little secret shall we?

The National Museum of Bargello is found in one of the oldest palaces in Florence dating back to 1255. At first, residence of the Captains of the People, it later became residence of the Captain of Justice.

The Bargello, gets its name from the person of the same name who transformed it into a prison, where the execution of Baroncelli, who conspired with the Pazzi family against the Medici's, took place. The museum was created in 1865 and today hosts a collection of Renaissance and Gothic pieces and other works from the 15th century. The entrance in Via del Pronconsolo leads you into Medieval courtyard with and atmosphere of great artistic charm. In the middle of the courtyard, today sits a well in the place where a gallows was once found. The courtyard leads you into the first hall which gathers works of art done by Florence masters in 1500 like the Bacco by Michelangelo, the Mercury and the Florence Victorious over Pisa by Giambologna. In the grand 13th century salon on the first floor, one can find works of art by Donatello and his pupils Desiderio da Settignano and Antonio Rossellino as well as two paving stones that Lorenzo Ghibetti and Filippo Brunelleschi had presented for the making of the door of the Florentine Baptistery in 1401.

On the first floor, as well, you find the Hall of Ivories which hosts pieces in ivory from the Carrand collection, the Islamic Hall, which gathers a collection of tapestries and other oriental objects, Council Hall, hosting sculptures of Florentine artists from 1400, Hall of Majoilcs, where on can find and admire examples of earthenware from the bottegas of Urbino, Siena, Ovieto, and Florence.

On the second floor of the Museum, the first hall is dedicated to Giovanni della Robbia displaying his sculptures in terracotta. In the Hall of Weapons one can admire arms once used in medieval times. The Hall dedicated to Andrea dell Robbia, Hall of Bronzetti, Hall of Verrocchio, and finally the exhibition of Medals of Florence, a collection of medals from the Renaissance era.

The Bargello was once a prison where public executions were held in Florence near the Duomo. Today, it is the home to a large extensive collection of works by Donatello. The most famous work of art in the Bargello is undoubtedly Donatello's bronze sculpture, "The David" which is the first free-standing nude sculpture.

There are other key works of art in the Bargello: the gorgeous bronze work "Sacrifice of Isaac" by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti. There are also pieces of artwork completed by del Verrochio and Michelangelo.

It is a small museum but if you're a fan of galleries and Renaissance art, this is worth your time. The Bargello is a short walk from the Duomo although you may get there via bus numbers 14, 23 and A. The museum is open Monday-Sunday from 8:15am to 1:50pm. It is closed on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sunday as well as the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month so plan your visit efficiently.

Admission is €4 for adults although the fee was waived for me because I visited the Bargello during Italy's Culture Week in which all Italian state-run museums, galleries, and archaeological sites are free of charge.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the Bargello. It is not over-crowded like the Uffizi or Accademia. It is small, full of charm and has something for everybody.

This beautiful building was formerly a civic building and also a prison. It has a long storied history and that atmosphere provides a backdrop to the gorgeous Renaissance artworks that now inhabit the building. Among the many art museums in Florence, the Barghello is less popular than the Accademia and the Uffizi, so lines are shorter.

The Barghello exhibits works of art from Michelangelo, Donatello, and Brunelleschi among others. It is primarily a museum of sculpture. It also displays artisan crafts in ivory, gold, and Venetian glass.

Cameras are permitted, sans flash.

Even children may enjoy this museum, with its display of arms and armor. Also, you can play "Spot the David" because the Bargello has several David statues, none of them Michelangelo's.

Begun in 1255, the Bargello houses some of Italy's finest sculptures. Initally the town hall, but later the home of the chief of police (the bargello), it opened as a museum in 1865. Some of the finest works include Donatello's "David"; Michelangelo's "Bacchus," "Brutus," and "Madonna & Child"; and Giambologna's "Mercury" and "Young Rooster." Get here early. The museum closes at 1pm.