The Medici-Riccardi Palace now sports a new museum in its basement, right by the toilets (just follow the smell of open drains). The design is futuristic, from the huge sliding glass panel at the entranceway (which doesn’t keep out the smell) to the sleek brushed-steel cases with pin-lights (of fluorescent light which turns some of the statues green). Except for a case displaying the things they found while digging out the museum space (mostly broken medieval pottery, proving my cherished theory that every single museum in western Europe features majolica), the sole objects on display are ancient Roman busts or heads, collected from the 16th century on by the occupants of the palazzo. Or should I say “ancient” – I would estimate that not more than five of the things were actually carved in antiquity, and even they are so reworked that it’s hard to take them too seriously. Go if you’re interested in what is essentially the “old guy’s heads” section of the 1684 Neiman Marcus catalogue – otherwise, stick to the rest of the palazzo.
Bourbon-Ginger Pecan Pie
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