Accademia Gallery

The Accademia Gallery is the second most important and visited museum in Florence after the Uffizi Gallery.

What to see at the Accademia Gallery

The highlight of the museum is undoubtedly Michelangelo's David sculpted in the early 1500s and originally intended as an exterior decoration for Florence Cathedral. There are also other works by Michelangelo in the Gallery including the Prisoners, a group of statues that form a sort of corridor before arriving at David, St. Matthew and the Palestrina Pietà.

Other works not to be missed are the Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna, the Madonna and Child and the Madonna of the Sea by Botticelli, the Coronation of the Virgin by Jacopo Di Cione, various works by Perugino, Filippino Lippi, Bronzino and a large collection of Florentine art along with sculptures and paintings from the 13th to the 19th century.

Recently, the Accademia Gallery has been enriched with the Museum of Musical Instruments, where you can admire the oldest upright piano preserved to date and a violin that belonged to Stradivari.

Visiting the Accademia Gallery

To skip the long lines outside the Accademia Gallery, you need to buy your ticket online. Various purchase options are available: the skip-the-line ticket and the guided tour are the best sellers.

If you want to learn more about the history and details of the works housed inside the Gallery, a guided tour with an expert guide is recommended. If you are deciding to dedicate a few days to discovering the main museums in Florence, you can buy the Florence Pass and save on the purchase of tickets.