Accademia Gallery Florence Tickets: David, Entry Fees & What to See

The Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence holds Michelangelo’s David - the 5.17-metre marble statue completed in 1504 that remains the single most visited work in the city. The gallery also contains Michelangelo’s Prisoners (four unfinished figures intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II), a collection of medieval and Renaissance Florentine painting, and one of Italy’s largest collections of historic musical instruments. It is a smaller, quieter museum than the Uffizi, and can be visited thoroughly in half a day.

Entry Fees and Ticket Types (as of 2026)

Ticket	Price
Standard adult	approximately €16
EU citizens 18–25	approximately €2
Under 18 (EU residents)	Free
Online reservation fee	approximately €4 (added to base price)
Audio guide (optional)	approximately €6

Prices are set by the Direzione Regionale Musei della Toscana and can change. Verify current prices at uffizi.it before booking.

Where to Book

Book directly at uffizi.it - the official ticketing site. Timed entry slots are available up to 60 days in advance. Choose a specific time slot (entry is permitted within a 30-minute window of your booked time) and bring your confirmation email or QR code to the dedicated pre-booked queue.

Third-party booking platforms including Tiqets also sell timed-entry tickets, sometimes with guided tour options bundled in. These are legitimate but add a service fee on top of the Uffizi Galleries’ own charges.

Guided tours: Half-day tours of the Accademia (typically 1.5–2 hours focused on the David and Michelangelo’s works) are offered by operators including Walks of Italy, City Wonders, and Context Travel. Prices typically start from approximately €35–50 per person including entry. Private tours run from approximately €90–120 per person. Booking through /go/tiqets-italy is one option for bundled entry-plus-guide tickets.

Opening Hours

The Accademia Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 08:15 to 18:50. It is closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December. Last entry is approximately 30 minutes before closing.

In summer (June to September), extended evening hours are sometimes offered on Thursday and Friday evenings - check uffizi.it for the current schedule as this varies annually.

Getting There

The gallery is located on Via Ricasoli 60, a 10-minute walk north from the Duomo. The nearest taxi rank is on Piazza San Marco. No dedicated car parking is adjacent - use the central Florence ZTL (restricted traffic zone) map to avoid fines if driving.

From Santa Maria Novella station: approximately 20 minutes on foot via the city centre, or take tram line T2 to Piazza San Marco (2 stops, approximately 5 minutes).

What to See: The Highlights

Michelangelo’s David

The David occupies the rotunda at the far end of the main hall - visible from the entrance as you walk in. The scale is more striking in person than photographs suggest. Michelangelo carved the figure from a single block of Carraran marble that had been considered unusable after two previous sculptors attempted and abandoned it. The figure represents the biblical David in the moment before his confrontation with Goliath - tense, alert, already calculating.

Look closely at the right hand - the enlarged scale relative to the body was a deliberate compositional choice, emphasising strength, and follows a common Renaissance technique of exaggerating elements that would be seen from a distance or at an angle.

The Prisoners (Prigioni)

The four Prisoners line the approach to the David in the main hall. These are among the most unusual works in the museum: figures only partially emerged from the marble, as if struggling to break free from the stone. Michelangelo left them unfinished - scholars continue to debate whether this was intentional artistic statement or practical abandonment. The rough marks of chisel work are visible across the surfaces.

A fifth figure, the Palestrina Pietà, stands at the end of the left aisle. Its attribution to Michelangelo is debated among art historians.

Historical Florentine Paintings

The side rooms contain a collection of Florentine paintings from the 13th to the 16th centuries, including several significant gold-ground altarpieces and works attributed to Pacino di Buonaguida and Bernardo Daddi. These rooms are often quieter than the main hall and worth a deliberate visit.

Museum of Musical Instruments

The upper floor houses a large collection of historical instruments, including Bartolomeo Cristofori’s 1700 piano - one of the oldest surviving pianos in the world, invented by the Florentine craftsman who worked in the Medici court. The collection includes lutes, harpsichords, viola d’amore, and instruments played by members of the Medici family.

Practical Tips

• Arrive at your booked time: The gallery enforces timed entry. If you are more than 30 minutes late, entry may be refused without refund.
• Photography: Photography without flash is permitted throughout the gallery, including of the David. Tripods and monopods are not allowed.
• Coat check: A free coat check is available near the entrance - large bags and luggage are not permitted in the galleries.
• Crowds: The David draws the largest crowds between 10:00 and 13:00. Morning slots (08:15) and late-afternoon slots (from 16:30) are consistently quieter.
• Combine with the Uffizi: The two museums are 15 minutes apart on foot. Buy tickets for both on the same platform - they can be booked for the same day (Accademia in the morning, Uffizi after lunch) or on consecutive days.