Galleria dell'Accademia
With a large collection of sculptures, paintings and musical instruments, the academy gallery is known for housing inside one of the most famous sculptures of all time: Michelangelo's David.
The Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia) is the second most visited museum in Florence after the Uffizi Gallery. The museum was opened in 1784 so that fine art students would have material to study.
David by Michelangelo
The Galleria dell'Accademia has become famous worldwide for housing Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David. This white-marble sculpture stands 5,17 meters tall and represents David before his fight with Goliath.
The statue was sculpted between 1501 and 1504 in the Opera del Duomo’s workshop. When it was completed, it was moved to the entrance of the Ponte Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria.
It was placed in the Accademia in 1873 to protect it from adverse weather conditions.
Other Remarkable Works of Art
The Accademia Gallery also features other stunning sculptures by several artists and a large collection of religious paintings. Recently, the museum has also included a permanent collection of old musical instruments.
Is it Worthwhile?
If you are an art fan then the Galleria dell'Accademia is essential.
Skip the Lines
The Accademia, like the Uffizi Gallery, has a great number of visitors each day, therefore; there are always endless queues. To avoid these lines, we recommend:
Booking a Guided Tour
The perks of booking a guided tour of the Gallery is that you make the most of your visit by learning interesting facts about the artists and their work and you will also skip the lines.
Going First Thing in the Morning or Just Before Closing Time
If you don’t want to get up at the crack of dawn to be the first in line, we suggest getting to the museum at 5 pm and doing a quick tour of the gallery.
Schedule
From Tuesday to Sunday: 8:15 am until 6:50 pm
Closed: Mondays, 1st January and 25th December
Price
Adults: € 16 (US$ 16.39)
From 18 to 25: € 2 (US$ 2.04)
Under 18s and over 65s: Free
For the temporary exhibitions, the entry price varies
Transport
Buses: lines 1 and 17
Nearby places
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (430 m) Florence Cathedral (472 m) Piazza del Duomo (505 m) Battistero di San Giovanni, Florence (514 m) Campanile di Giotto, Florence (523 m)