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Paris Toolkit The Accademia Gallery - home of Michelangelo's statue of David
First time visitors' briefing with practical information including times and ticket details
The Accademia Gallery is one of the top 5 "must see" attractions for the first time visitor to Florence. One of two galleries under this heading, the other is the nearby Uffizi Gallery.
The Accademia Gallery is a former hospital from the 14th century, then an Academy of Fine Arts, it houses “David”, the absolute masterpiece by Michelangelo, a must for all visitors of Florence.
Sculpted between 1501-1504 to be an outside decoration of the Cathedral of Florence, it became instead a symbol of the commitment of the Florentine State to freedom and independence.
The Accademia Gallery is located on the northern edge of the historic city centre of Florence around the Piazza Di San Marco and was at one time two convents.
The Accademia Gallery is about 500m north from the Duomo and about 1000m north of the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio at the southern edge of the historic centre.
The Accademia Gallery overview
As stated above a visit to the Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia) is dominated by one artwork in particular - Michelangelo’s staggering statue of David, carved from a single block of marble. The statue originally stood in the Piazza della Signoria, but was moved to this more protected environment in 1873. A copy now stands in the piazza.
Also here are Michelangelo's muscular Prisoner statues.
The holdings comprise mostly religious paintings by major artists working in and around Florence between the mid-13th and the late 16th centuries. The collection is especially important for its gold-ground paintings.
There is also a collection of sculptures in plaster by the 19th-century sculptors Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni and a collection of old musical instruments.
Independent visits to the Accademia Gallery - practical information
Because of its very central location the independently minded visitor has no problem visiting at a time and pace of their choosing. The only real factor to consider is potential waiting times to enter the gallery.
Opening hours of the Accademia Gallery
The Accademia Gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50. The Accademia Gallery is closed on Mondays. The ticket office closes 30 minutes prior to closing time.
During summer the Accademia gallery usually opens in the evenings on Tuesday and Thursday from 19.00 to 22.00, although it is best to check the official website at the time of your visit to Florence for confirmation.
It is always recommended to book tickets in advance.
On Tuesdays, because of the Monday closing, expect even more demand than normal. Afternoons is normally quieter and in the summer there may be late night openings.
How long your visit takes is a personal thing, for most people it's going to be 30-90 minutes depending on your degree of interest in the subject matter. If you are doing both Accademia and Uffizi in one day, the Uffizi Gallery is much larger and those with a keen interest will need to put aside 3-4 hours for the Uffizi.
There may also be special exhibitions that may have a separate admission charge.
Audio guides are available in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese and are not included in the standard admission charge.
The museum has no cloakroom. Visitors with large bags and rucksacks, helmets, etc. will not be admitted.
There are two museum shops, one at the entrance and another at the exit of the museum.
The Accademia Gallery tickets
You are strongly advised to purchase tickets well in advance from the official website, banner link below, at peak times the gallery can be sold out a couple of days ahead. For a little extra you can select a skip-the-line ticket to save long queue times and at peak periods you will find there is more ticket availability for these types of ticket. Either ticket type can be purchased using our banner links.
When you purchase tickets you have to select a 15 minute time window within which you will seek entrance.
ACCADEMIA GALLERY AND MICHELANGELO'S DAVID TICKET
• Accademia admission • Avoid the main entrance lines and explore at leisure • Admire the original sculpture of 'David' by Michelangelo
Guided tours including Accademia Gallery
The standard admission ticket is just that an entrance ticket. You can purchase an audio guide at the gallery that costs about half the price of the admission ticket.
The alternative is to have a human guide show you around so you don't miss the best bits and are fully informed at what you are looking at.
Skip the Line: Florence Accademia Gallery guided tour
A simple proposition: meet your guide at the entrance of Accademia Gallery and be escorted directly into the gallery skipping the lines and commencing an authoritative 75 minute guided tour of the gallery.
Pre-booked skip the line tickets are of course included and after the tour has finished you can stay inside the museum for as long as you wish.
FLORENCE ACCADEMIA GALLERY SMALL GROUP TOUR
• Skip-the-line entrance to Accademia Gallery • See Michelangelo's David • Museum guided visit with local profesisonal guide • Runs April - October
Skip the Line: small group best of Florence including Accademia + Uffizi Galleries and the Duomo with lunch option
A 6-hour tour where you start your morning skipping the line at the Accademia Gallery, then enjoy a walking tour around the town's historic center. Enjoy authentic Italian lunch at a local historic restauran (option to add on). Explore the Duomo and finish the day with a guided Uffizi Gallery tour.
FLORENCE FULL OR HALF DAY WALKING TOUR WITH ACCADEMIA, UFFIZI & LUNCH
• Timed entry to Uffizi & Accademia Galleries • See Michelangelo's David • Lunch option available • Walking tour of Florence's city centre • Panoramic tour with expert guide
Skip the Line: small group Accademia Gallery Tour and the Duomo
Take a half day small group tour (max 25 people) of the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's famous statue of David and afterwards enjoy a walking tour of Florence with focus on the Duomo.
FLORENCE WALKING TOUR WITH VISIT TO ACCADEMIA GALLERY
• Skip-the-line-entrance to Accademia • Small group of up to 17 people • Walking tour Best of Florence including Duomo & Ponte Vecchio
Skip the Line: small group best of Florence including Accademia + Uffizi Galleries and the Duomo
Start your morning skipping the line at the Accademia Gallery, then a walking tour around the town's historic center. Explore the Duomo and finish the day with a guided Uffizi Gallery tour.
FLORENCE HALF DAY WALKING TOUR WITH VISIT TO ACCADEMIA & UFFIZI GALLERIES
• Skip-the-line access to Uffizi & Accademia Galleries • See Michelangelo's David • Walking tour of Florence's city centre • Small group up to 17 people
MOST POPULAR FLORENCE TOURS 2024
| Popular Tours in & around Florence | |
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Florence Hop On, Hop Off Open Top Sightseeing Tour 24 hr, 48 hr and 72 hr tickets |
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Best of Florence Half Day Walking Tour Includes Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Gallery and Florence Duomo |
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Full Day Highlights Tour of Florence Full day tour with lunch at local restaurant Duomo + Accademia + Uffizi Galleries |
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Florence Walking Tour with skip-the-line to Accademia 3-hour small group walking tour inc Accademia Gallery admission |
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Accademia Gallery Guided Small Group Tour Home to the original statue of David by Renaissance genius Michelangelo |
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Experience the world-famous gallery’s Renaissance highlights and architecture. |
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| Florence Fast Track Entrance Tickets | |
Accademia Gallery Fast Track Entrance Tickets Home to the original statue of David by Renaissance genius Michelangelo. View ticket option |
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Uffizi Gallery Fast Track Entrance Tickets 1,500 pieces of art including Michelangelo. View ticket options |
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Siena and San Gimignano Day Trip All entrance fees included |
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