Galleria dell'Accademia
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The Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze (or the Gallery of the Academy of Florence) first opened its doors in 1784 after the Grand Duke of Tuscany Pietro Leopoldo called for the restructuring of the Academy of Arts of Design (founded by Cosimo I de Medici). It housed material for the students to study, but today it’s most famous for housing Michelangelo’s statue of David. It’s the second-most visited museum in Florence, with tickets to see David often selling out, so book in advance to avoid disappointment!
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Tickets
Book a ticket with a timeslot to see David and save time on the day.
Florence: Timed Entrance Ticket to Michelangelo’s David
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Accademia Gallery skip-the-line tickets
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Skip the Line: Accademia Gallery Tickets Fast Track Entrance
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Guided Tours
Take a tour of the gallery’s highlights with an expert guide.Skip the Line: Florence Accademia Gallery Tickets
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Florence: Uffizi & Accademia Small Group Walking Tour
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Best of Florence Walking Tour with Skip-the-Line at Michelangelo’s ‘David’
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Florence: Michelangelo Square, Fiesole & Accademia Tour
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More Tickets & Tours
Browse even more products that include a trip to the Galleria dell’Accademia.Skip the Line: Florence Accademia Gallery Tickets
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Florence: Uffizi & Accademia Small Group Walking Tour
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Best of Florence Walking Tour with Skip-the-Line at Michelangelo’s ‘David’
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Florence: Michelangelo Square, Fiesole & Accademia Tour
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4 Tips for Visiting the Galleria dell'Accademia
Michelangelo's David | Flickr: Dimitris Kamaras CC BY 2.0
1
In the peak season, tickets for time slots in the middle of the day sell out in advance, and the lines to buy tickets at the door can be extremely long. Book your tickets ahead of your visit to skip the long lines and get the exact timeslot you need.
Galleria dell'Accademia | Flickr: Sergey Galyonkin CC BY-SA 2.0
2
The Galleria dell’Accademia is included in the Firenze Card, which will get you skip-the-line access to over 70 museums in Florence over a 72 hour period. Just be aware that for the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi Gallery you’ll still need to reserve a timeslot for your priority entrance ahead of your visit.
3
If you’re visiting in summer, try going in the evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays when the gallery stays open later. It’ll be less busy, as tour groups will already have gone home for the day and other visitors might already be at dinner. Alternatively, you can arrive at 8 am ahead of the museum’s opening, when it will also be quieter.
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Plan ahead in order to be on-time for your pre-booked timeslot since there’s no guarantee you’ll be let in later, especially during the high season. And don’t just see David, take your time to see the whole museum!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s there to see inside the Galleria dell’Accademia?
The highlight of the gallery is the original statue of David by Michelangelo, but you will also be able to see other works by the artist, including his four unfinished Prisoners, which had been intended to decorate the tomb of Pope Julius II, and an unfinished statue of St Matthew. There’s also a version of the Pietà, but it’s unclear whether this can truly be attributed to Michelangelo. Other halls in the gallery contain paintings by Florentine artists active from the 13th to the 16th centuries, including works by Botticelli and Ghirlandaio, and an exhibition of Florentine Gothic art. The Gipsoteca Bartolini contains plaster casts that were collected so that students of the Academy could study the great masters without having to travel to see the originals. The Museum of Musical Instruments inside the gallery is also well worth a visit, as you’ll be able to see some of the earliest pianos ever built and the only well-conserved viola made by Anton Stradivari. Read more.
What’s the story behind the statue of David?
The story of David is a long and complicated one! The statue was originally commissioned as part of a series of 12 statues by Donatello, intended to sit on the buttresses of Florence Cathedral. Two figures were made out of terracotta between 1410 and 1463 before Agostino di Duccio was commissioned to sculpt a statue of David out of marble. Marble was sourced from Carrara and brought to Florence at great expense, and Agostino began to roughly shape the torso, legs, and feet before the project was called to a halt, possibly due to the death of Donatello. Ten years later, Antonio Rossellino was ordered to take up the project, but he didn’t make much progress before abandoning the sculpture. The marble sat unused for 26 years in the cathedral workshop, sustaining damage from the elements, before the authorities decided they would search for someone who could complete the work. Several artists were consulted, including Leonardo da Vinci, but Michelangelo was eventually awarded the contract. He worked on the piece for over two years, creating the 6-ton masterpiece you can see today. It quickly became obvious that there was no way to put such a huge and heavy statue on the cathedral roof and, after much debate, David was placed next to the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s town hall. It stood there from June 1504 until 1873, when it was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia in order to protect it from damage. A replica of the statue can still be seen outside the Palazzo Vecchio, so you can visit that as well to get an idea of how David would have looked in its original location. Read more.
How much time should I plan to spend inside the Accademia Gallery?
The Galleria dell’Accademia is small when compared to the Uffizi Gallery, but it’s full of interesting things to see. You can view David and many of the other key works of art within an hour, but anyone who particularly enjoys art can plan to spend two to three hours exploring the halls of the Accademia Gallery. Read more.
Can I sketch inside the gallery?
Sketching with pencil and paper is allowed as long as you aren’t in the way of other visitors to the gallery. No other materials are allowed, especially paints of different kinds. Photography is also permitted, but only without the use of flash, and selfie-sticks and other pieces of equipment aren’t allowed inside the museum. Read more.
Will my children enjoy a trip?
Although there is a special children’s audio guide available, it’s possible younger children might find this gallery a little boring after a while. Although they’ll probably recognize and enjoy spotting David and may also enjoy the exhibits featuring musical instruments, the exhibitions aren’t particularly designed with children in mind. Children can enter free of charge, but make sure to bring a form of photo ID with you in order to take advantage of the free entry. Read more.
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