The Catholic Church, especially in Italy, is a holder of both tangible and intangible heritage. Conflict has developed between the traditional historic role of the Church in Italy and the current demands of international heritage tourism so much so that the impact of tourism is changing the function and purpose of many sacred sites. This phenomenon is particularly evident in centres such as Florence which have become meccas of heritage tourism. This paper will examine how the popularity of the Renaissance as a draw card for international heritage tourism is impacting a Catholic Church site in Florence, Italy holding Renaissance heritage artefacts resulting in the introduction of museological practices. It will propose that the tension between the Church and heritage tourism is leading to the emergence of this church as a quasi heritage museum with dual functions: both sacred and secular.