The Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze) is a must-see art museum in Florence that’s home to Michelangelo’s iconic sculpture of David. For me, seeing David in person was an experience that 100% lived up to the hype! Sculpture is what the Accademia Gallery is most famous for, but you’ll also find Renaissance paintings and a collection of historical musical instruments. It’s a small museum that packs a big artistic punch, so planning your visit is key to enjoying it.
This post starts with a quick crash course in Renaissance sculpture before covering some highlights of the Accademia Gallery. You can also skip ahead for advice on planning your visit to this amazing museum.
Intro to Renaissance Sculpture
“Renaissance” means “rebirth,” and that’s what happened when sculptors in Florence began trying to recreate the artistic styles of Ancient Greece and Rome. This began in the late 13th century, but things really heated up when the wealthy nobles of Florence held a contest to create new bronze doors to the baptistery in 1401. The competitors were the first generation of Renaissance artists, including Donatello, Brunelleschi, and Ghiberti. (Spoiler: Ghiberti won and spent basically the rest of his career making bronze panels. But that’s a different museum.)
Their sculptures were amazingly realistic, with accurate depictions of the human body not seen in art for in hundreds of years. And some of them were nude, which was a bit controversial for a religious society. At the same time, the artists used balanced poses for their figures and arranged them into harmonious scenes. Their elegant and idealized interpretation of the real world is classic Renaissance!
A couple generations later, Michelangelo stood on the metaphorical shoulders of these artists to become the greatest master of Renaissance sculpture. His colossal statute of David proved this beyond a doubt. As Michelangelo’s career progressed, he began to infuse his sculptures with more emotion and tension, pointing the way toward the next great movement in art.
The most famous material for Renaissance sculpture was white marble, but bronze and wood were also important materials during this period. Though these materials had been used for hundreds of years, Renaissance sculptors pushed the limits and took them to new artistic heights.
Highlights of the Accademia Gallery
The Accademia Gallery began as part of the Academy of Fine Arts in 1784, when it housed historical sculptures for art students to study. Later it became the home of Michelangelo’s David and opened to the general public. Here are some highlights of the artworks you’ll see at the museum today.
- Michelangelo’s David – This is the big one, literally and figuratively! Michelangelo created this massive 17 ft. sculpture of David facing Goliath from a single block of marble. David stands in a contrapposto pose like an Ancient Greek hero, relaxed but ready for action. The sculpture seems less about the Bible story and more about contemporary Florence: strong, confident, and ready to take on the world.
- Michelangelo’s unfinished “Prisoners” – A collection of several unfinished statues that offer a fascinating window into Michelangelo’s sculpting technique. The standard practice of the time was to create a plaster model before working on unforgiving marble, but the genius Michelangelo preferred to work free hand. He described the process as freeing figures that were “imprisoned“ within the stone.
- Hall of Sculpture Models – The Gipsoteca Bartolini is a gallery that displays hundreds of plaster sculpture models created by 19th century instructor Lorenzo Bartolini. You can see small marks from the pointing devices that were used to copy the model dimensions on to blocks of marble.
- Giambologna’s Abduction of a Sabine Woman – Working in the shadow of Michelangelo wasn’t easy, but Giambologna did his best with this action-packed sculpture of three twisting figures. It’s actually his plaster model for the marble that stands over in the Loggia dei Lanzi on Florence’s main square.
- Historical Musical Instruments – Music nerds will love this small but mighty collection of musical instruments . It includes three stringed instruments made by the great master Antonio Stradivari (violin, cello, and tenor viola), a beautiful Amati cello from 1650, and a harpsichord made by Bartolomeo Cristofori, the guy who invented the piano.
Planning Your Visit to the Accademia Gallery
The Accademia Gallery is one of the most popular museums in one of the most popular cities in Italy. Plan ahead to avoid a frustrating experience!
Accademia Gallery Tickets
To visit the Accademia Gallery you need to buy tickets online well in advance. Ideally, 2 months out from your desired date. Yes this is annoying, but the fact is that popular museums like the Accademia Gallery can barely keep up with demand. I would not recommend waiting in the general admission line, which could take a really long time. Tickets are €20 via the official website called B-Ticket. The museum is open 8:15 am to 6:20 pm with the last entry at 5:45 pm. It’s closed on Mondays.
Plan to arrive at the museum 15 minutes before your entry time so you can find the appropriate entry line get in on time. I think it’s the “red” line for pre-purchased tickets, but read the signs and check with staff if you’re not sure.
If tickets are sold out for your available days, I would look for a tour on Viator or Get Your Guide. I can’t recommend a specific tour, but I would look for a private tour or small group with recent positive reviews.
Touring the Museum
Once inside the museum, my advice is to follow the excellent Rick Steves audio guide. It’s free via the Audio Europe app, and it takes you around the museum highlights with some helpful background information. There are also official audio guides available at the bookstore near the entrance.
Another option is to go with a guide. Personally, I think trying to see art with a small group is frustrating, especially in a crowded little museum. Your results may vary.
If you’re going on your own, that’s okay too. Just don’t miss the other rooms of the museum after you see David!
More Accademia Gallery Tips
- Beware the crowds – Hopefully I’ve made it clear by this point, but the Accademia Gallery gets busy! Make sure to get advance tickets, go early or late, try to avoid weekends if you can. All of the crowd-beating strategies are helpful.
- Take your time with the art – The Accademia’s collection is small but mighty. You could probably see the whole place in 30 minutes, so there’s no need to rush. There’s a reason these artworks have been admired for centuries!
- Don’t miss the musical instruments and early Renaissance paintings – I know, you’re mostly interested in seeing Michelangelo’s David. But the rest of the Accademia Gallery is worth a look too. The Renaissance paintings and rare musical instruments there would be the prized highlights of other museums.
- Bag policy: Crossbody bags, purses, and small backpacks are allowed. The official size limit is 40cmx30cmx18cm. There’s no bag storage on site.
- Bonus tip: gelato – If you read this far, thank you! Let me also suggest getting a gelato at Carabé Firenze, located a block south of the museum.
