The Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence is home to Michelangelo’s David — and to four unfinished Prisoners, a late Pietà, and one of the finest collections of Florentine Gothic and Renaissance painting in existence.
This guide was updated in June 2026. Three things to know before you go. First, from 15 March 2026 the Accademia joined a new unified institution with the Bargello Museum, creating new combined ticket options. Second, in summer 2026, the gallery opens on Tuesdays until 22:00 — an evening with David that is significantly less crowded than daytime. Third, the walk-up ticket is €16 at the door, but advance booking adds €4 (total €20) — the opposite of many visitors’ expectations. You can book through GetYourGuide in advance.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Via Ricasoli 60, 50122 Florence, Tuscany, Italy. |
| Standard hours | Tuesday–Sunday, 08:15–18:50 |
| Last admission (standard) | 18:20 |
| Summer Tuesdays (approx. 3 Jun – 22 Jul 2026) | Open until 22:00; last entry walk-ups 21:30 |
| Summer Thursdays (same period) | Open until 21:00; last entry walk-ups 20:30 |
| Closed | Mondays; 1 January; 25 December |
| Walk-up door ticket | €16 |
| Advance booking | €16 + €4 reservation fee = €20 |
| Reduced (EU citizens 18–25) | €2 |
| Under 18 | Free (but €4 booking fee applies if reserving) |
| Accademia + Bargello (48 hours) | €26 + €4 booking fee |
| Six-museum pass (72 hours) | €38 + €4 booking fee |
| Free days | First Sunday of month; 25 April; 2 June; 4 November (walk-up only) |
| Nearest bus stop | Multiple stops on Via Cavour (5-minute walk) |
| Distance from Duomo | 8-minute walk north |
| Typical visit | 45 minutes–1.5 hours |
Galleria dell’Accademia opening hours
Standard hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 08:15 to 18:50, with last admission at 18:20. The gallery is closed every Monday, plus 1 January and 25 December.
In summer 2026 (confirmed from approximately 3 June to 22 July), Tuesday evenings extend to 22:00 (last admission for walk-up tickets 21:30; for pre-booked tickets 21:00) and Thursday evenings extend to 21:00 (last admission 20:30 walk-up; 20:00 pre-booked). The 19:00–21:00 window on these evenings is consistently the quietest period of the year for visiting David.
Free admission days: first Sunday of the month, 25 April, 2 June, and 4 November. On free days, no advance booking is possible — tickets are walk-up only at the door. The gallery opens exceptionally on some holidays (Easter Monday, 5 January 2026 in the specific 2026 calendar) and follows ministry directives for extraordinary openings.
Galleria dell’Accademia admission prices
The walk-up door price is €16. Buying in advance adds a €4 booking fee, making the effective advance price €20. This surprises many visitors who expect advance booking to be cheaper. The booking fee is mandatory for all pre-purchased tickets including free-category visitors who need a timed slot.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Walk-up full (at door, same day) | €16 |
| Advance full (+ €4 booking fee) | €20 |
| Reduced (EU citizens 18–25) | €2 + €4 booking fee |
| Under 18 | Free + €4 booking fee (if reserving) |
| Accademia + Bargello (48h combined) | €26 + €4 booking fee |
| Six-museum pass (72h, all 6 museums) | €38 + €4 booking fee |
The six-museum pass covers the Accademia, Bargello, Medici Chapels, Palazzo Davanzati, Orsanmichele, and Casa Martelli within 72 hours — saving approximately €25 compared to six individual tickets. In peak season (April–October), walk-up tickets sell out by mid-morning on most days; advance booking is the reliable option. Book through GetYourGuide.
Why visit the Galleria dell’Accademia?
- 🏛️ Michelangelo’s David in its purpose-built tribune: The 5.17-metre marble figure is displayed in the rotunda specifically designed for it in 1882, with natural light from the oculus above — a presentation impossible to replicate or substitute with a photograph.
- 🎟️ Tuesday summer evenings: David until 22:00: From approximately 3 June to 22 July 2026, the gallery opens until 22:00 on Tuesdays. The 19:00–21:00 window is the calmest visiting time of the entire year — fewer visitors than at any other time during peak season.
- 🌿 The four Prisoners (Prigioni) line the approach to David: Four monumental unfinished Michelangelo figures — figures of slaves emerging from raw marble — lead down the gallery towards the David tribune. Most visitors walk past them quickly to reach the David; they reward close and slow attention.
- 📜 New combined ticket with the Bargello (from 15 March 2026): The Accademia and Bargello merged into one institution in March 2026. A 48-hour combined pass (€26 + €4 booking fee) covers both — the two greatest sculpture collections in Florence at a saving of approximately €6 versus separate tickets.
- 💰 Free on the first Sunday of every month: Full gallery access at no charge — walk-up only, no advance booking. The gallery is open its standard 08:15–18:50 hours on free Sundays.
How to get to the Galleria dell’Accademia
On foot from the Duomo, the gallery is an 8-minute walk north along Via Ricasoli — one of the most direct routes in the historic centre. Via Ricasoli leads straight from the Baptistery square to the museum entrance.
By bus (ATAF), several routes serve Via Cavour, a 5-minute walk east of the gallery. Bus C1 connects the area with the Oltrarno; bus C2 with the Bargello and Piazza Santa Croce. Bus 7 from the station (Piazzale Michelangelo route) passes nearby.
On foot from Santa Maria Novella station, the walk takes approximately 15–18 minutes north-east along Via dei Conti and Via Ricasoli, passing the Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo en route.
5 great Florence experiences to book
- 🏛️ Cover Florence in a day – including the Duomo, Uffizi and skip-the-line tickets for Michelangelo’s David.
- 🍝 Learn how to make pasta the Tuscan way at a cooking class with unlimited wine.
- 🎨 On a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, discover the detail in the Renaissance masterpieces.
- 🗿 Discover much more than David on a guided tour of the Galleria dell’Accademia.
- 🍷 Take a 4WD Tuscan wine safari – with several winery tastings and a three-course lunch.
Parking at the Galleria dell’Accademia
There is no parking at the gallery. ZTL restrictions apply across the historic centre. The nearest practical car parks outside the ZTL are at Piazza della Stazione (Santa Maria Novella) or Fortezza da Basso, both approximately 20–25 minutes’ walk from Via Ricasoli. Walking or using public transport is strongly preferable.
How long to spend at the Galleria dell’Accademia
Most visitors spend 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. The gallery is compact by major museum standards. Visitors who focus only on David and the Prisoners typically complete the visit in 45 minutes. Those who engage with the painting collection — Botticelli’s altarpiece panels, Ghirlandaio, Fra Bartolomeo, and the remarkably complete collection of Florentine Gothic gold-ground panels — need up to 90 minutes. The musical instrument collection on the upper floor, which includes a Stradivarius violin, adds 15–20 minutes.
Accessibility at the Galleria dell’Accademia
The gallery has lift access to all floors. The entrance on Via Ricasoli is step-free. A dedicated accessible entrance is available; contact the gallery in advance for specific requirements. Disabled visitors and one companion enter free. Tactile exploration of selected casts is available for blind and visually impaired visitors by advance arrangement with the Education Service.
Buggy and pushchair access is permitted. Bags larger than 30 × 30 × 20 cm must be left in the free cloakroom at the entrance. Photography without flash is permitted throughout.
What to see at the Galleria dell’Accademia
The Prisoners (Prigioni) line the Tribune Gallery leading to the David rotunda. These four monumental unfinished figures, carved for the tomb of Pope Julius II (c.1513–1516), show Michelangelo’s method of working from a single face of the block — leaving the figures apparently struggling to emerge from the stone. Most visitors walk past them to reach David; they reward slow attention.
Michelangelo’s David (1501–1504) stands 5.17 metres tall in Carrara marble in the purpose-built rotunda. Originally sited in Piazza della Signoria (1504–1873), the figure captures the moment before the encounter with Goliath — slingshot in the left hand, right hand hanging in tension. The most revealing viewpoint is from the right of centre, which clarifies the asymmetry of the oversized right hand and the disproportionate head.
The Florentine painting collection lines the rooms flanking the Tribune and the upper floor. Gold-ground panels from the 13th–14th centuries — largely from suppressed Florentine convents — form one of the most complete pre-Renaissance collections anywhere. Highlights include Botticelli’s altarpiece panels, a complete Orcagna polyptych, and works by Fra Bartolomeo.
The Musical Instrument Collection on the upper floor holds Ferdinando de’ Medici’s instruments, including an Antonio Stradivari violin (c.1690) and instruments by Bartolomeo Cristofori, inventor of the pianoforte in Florence in 1700.
Practical tips for visiting the Galleria dell’Accademia
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Advance booking costs €4 more, not less | The walk-up price is €16; the advance-booked price is €20 (€16 + €4 booking fee). Booking ahead buys security of entry — not a lower price. |
| Summer Tuesday evenings are the quietest time | From approximately 3 June to 22 July 2026, the gallery stays open until 22:00 on Tuesdays. The 19:00–21:00 window has far fewer visitors than any daytime slot. |
| The Prisoners are the reason to slow down | Most visitors hurry past the four unfinished Prisoner figures to reach David. The relationship between these works and David is the best possible preparation for understanding what you see. |
| Stand to the right of the David | The right-hand side angle clarifies the asymmetry of the oversized right hand and the tension in the neck muscles — the aspects most visible in low-resolution photographs. |
| Book in advance | In peak season (April–October), walk-up tickets sell out by mid-morning. Booking ahead guarantees entry at your chosen time. |
Galleria dell’Accademia FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why does advance booking cost more? | The walk-up door price is €16. Buying in advance through the official booking system adds a mandatory €4 booking fee = €20. The fee is the same for all ticket categories. It buys a guaranteed timed slot, not a discount. |
| What is the new combined ticket from March 2026? | From 15 March 2026, the Accademia and Bargello merged into one institution. A combined 48-hour ticket (€26 + €4 booking fee) covers both. A six-museum pass (€38 + €4) covers both plus Medici Chapels, Palazzo Davanzati, Orsanmichele, and Casa Martelli. |
| Are Tuesday evening tickets different? | In summer 2026 (approx. 3 June–22 July), the gallery stays open on Tuesdays until 22:00. Regular admission applies; timed slots for the evening session are bookable through the standard booking system. |
| Can I visit for free? | Yes — on the first Sunday of each month, 25 April, 2 June, and 4 November 2026, admission is free for all visitors. Walk-up only — no advance booking permitted on free days. |
| How far in advance should I book? | In July and August, popular morning slots sell out weeks ahead. Book as soon as your Florence dates are confirmed. |
Things to do near the Galleria dell’Accademia
The San Marco Museum (Museo di San Marco) is directly across the piazza, 2 minutes’ walk north. Fra Angelico painted a fresco in every monk’s cell between 1438 and 1445. The library, the chapter house, and Cosimo il Vecchio’s private cell are intact. One of the most meditative museum experiences in Florence; separate admission.
The Medici Chapels (Cappelle Medicee) are 15 minutes’ walk west via Via Cavour and the San Lorenzo market. They house Michelangelo’s Night, Day, Dawn, and Dusk — the Accademia David and the Medici Chapels together represent a comprehensive view of Michelangelo’s sculptural career in Florence. See the dedicated guide in this series.
Piazza Santissima Annunziata is 3 minutes north and is the most harmonious Renaissance piazza in Florence, designed by Brunelleschi. The Ospedale degli Innocenti (Europe’s first orphanage, 1419–1445) is now a museum; the Annunciation Basilica opposite holds Andrea del Sarto’s Birth of the Virgin.
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze is a 5-minute walk north-east on Via della Colonna and holds the Chimera of Arezzo (Etruscan bronze, 5th century BC) and the Francois Vase — two of the most important pre-classical artefacts in Italy.
The Opificio delle Pietre Dure Museum is 2 minutes south on Via degli Alfani and covers the history of the Medici grand-ducal workshop for mosaic and hardstone work (pietra dura). Free admission makes this one of the most undervisited museum stops in Florence.
Similar art galleries to visit near Florence
The Bargello National Museum, Florence is now part of the same institution as the Accademia (from March 2026) and is covered in a dedicated guide in this series. The 48-hour combined ticket (€26 + €4 booking fee) covers both.
The Uffizi Gallery, Florence is 20 minutes’ walk south and holds the world’s greatest collection of Italian Renaissance painting. The Accademia is focused (45 min, sculpture); the Uffizi is comprehensive (2–5 hours, painting). If visiting only one, the Uffizi covers more. If visiting both, do the Accademia first.
The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Florence holds Michelangelo’s late Pietà and Donatello’s Penitent Magdalene — both essential complements to the Accademia’s Michelangelo collection. 10 minutes south on Via dei Servi.
The Palatine Gallery (Pitti Palace), Florence holds the Medici domestic painting collection in period rooms. Raphael’s La Velata and Portrait of Leo X are here. Around 25 minutes’ walk south-west. See the dedicated guide.
The Accademia Carrara, Bergamo is around 90 minutes north-east by train and holds one of the finest provincial collections of Italian Renaissance painting in northern Italy — Raphael, Botticelli, Mantegna, and Bellini across 15 rooms. Less visited than its quality warrants.
More Tuscany travel
Other Tuscany travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan your visit to Siena Cathedral.
- Why do hot air balloon flights in Tuscany leave so early?
- How to visit two Chianti Classico wineries from Florence in one afternoon.
- Learning to make pasta in Florence.
- Florence attraction guides: Palazzo Vecchio, Bargello Museum, Medici Chapels, Museo de Medici, Uffizi Gallery, Museo Galileo, Florence Synagogue and Museum, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.
