Credit: Produced for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina by NBC and WTHR-TV with thanks to Steve Rhodes and Scott Swan.
For 25 years, Friends of Florence has worked to conserve and protect the city’s priceless art and architecture, raising millions of dollars to restore works that have endured centuries of wear, natural disasters and neglect.
Founded to safeguard Florence’s cultural legacy, the nonprofit has supported projects in major museums, including the Uffizi Gallery, the Galleria dell’Accademia — home to Michelangelo’s David — and the Cathedral Museum del Duomo. It has also funded restorations in churches and public spaces across Tuscany.
“Time really deteriorates works of art,” said Simonetta Brandolini, president of Friends of Florence. “We basically are here to conserve, protect, safeguard the art and culture of Florence and Tuscany.”
