The original nucleus of the museum, founded in 1875, revolves around the Palazzo del Podestà, building of the first half of the fifteenth century, which was the residence of the Florentine podestà who alternated here with annual charge. The community of caprese, together with that of Chiusi (now Chiusi della Verna) submitted in fact to the Florentine Republic starting from 1384. Among these podestà there was, in 1474-1475, Ludovico di Leonardo Buonarroti simoni, father of Michelangelo: an autograph document of Ludovico, found in 1875 at the Archive of the Casa Buonarroti in Florence, attested to the birth of his son Michelangelo Buonarroti in caprese on 6 March 1475 and testified to his baptism in the church of San Giovanni Battista. The Palazzo del Podestà is therefore considered the birthplace of the supreme artist. Over time, the museum has expanded and now has five main themes.