What museum's art collection did the Medici family of Florence cultivate over several centuries?

The Uffizi gallery is one of the most enduring legacies of the Medici. It is a prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the central Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy.

The building of Uffizi complex was begun in 1560 after Cosimo I de' Medici decided it was needed as a place for offices for Florentine magistrates. The actual construction was subsequently completed in 1581.

Next, a plan to display prime art works in the Medici collection on the piano nobile (a principal floor of the building) was discussed. Later, the design of the Tribuna degli Uffizi, where a series of masterpieces are collected in one room, was used. It was to become a highly influential attraction of a Grand Tour.

Over many years and after the House of Medici was extinguished, their art treasures remained in Florence, Tuscany. Ultimately, the art pieces were used as part of one of the first modern art museums in history, which in the 18th century it was opened to the public.