Museums
Museums in Florence
Uffizi Palace & Gallery: This world-renowned art museum is considered to be one of the most important Italian museums across the globe due to its immense collection of Renaissance Art from artists such as Da Vinci, Botticelli, and Raphael. The Uffizi Palace will offer hours of engagement and it is recommended to pre-book a skip the line entrance ticket and tour to ensure you are not waiting outside for hours.
Accademia Gallery: The Accademia Gallery, best known as the home of Michelangelo’s sculpture, David, also hosts other sculptures by Michelangelo and a grand collection of paintings by artists, mostly from the Trecento period to late Renaissance era. This gallery will offer you much more in less crowded halls whilst satisfying your curiosity for music, art, and painting techniques. You will be welcomed into the Hall of the Colossus before you start your journey through the Musical Instrument Museum, Hall of the Prisoners and the Tribune and more!
Museo Stibbert: The Stibbert Museum is located on the hill of Montughi in Florence and contains over 36,000 artifacts including 16,000 pieces of armour from the Eastern and Western civilisations. Once a villa, Frederick Stibbert turned it into a museum and added on more rooms where most walls are covered in tapestries and leather. You will find paintings displayed throughout every room such as still life and portrait. The museum also contains valuable furniture, porcelains, crucifixes and an outfit worn by Napoleon I of France. If you are looking for time to catch your breath, you will find a café and a bookstore in the museum to help pace yourself.
Palazzo Pitti: Palazzo Pitti was once where the Medici family lived and is now a museum with various wings and galleries of over 500 Renaissance paintings, not including the back property, known as Boboli Gardens. You will find moderns art, a silver museum, and the Royal Apartments with period furnishings amongst the palace, all the museums and Boboli. It is not hard to get caught up here and spend the entire day roaming between the palace and gardens.
Palazzo Vecchio: This art museum was once the seat of government in Florence which is why the building’s design and history is the main attraction. Palazzo Vecchio has a magnificent courtyard with a series of frescoes and stuccoes, however you will find that most tourists will be taking photos of the replica of Michelangelo’s David. The largest and most artistically important room, the Hall of the Five Hundred, is located on the first floor and was originally decorated by Michelangelo and Leonardo. You will find originally furnished private rooms on the second floor along with the Donatello’s Judith.
Gallery of the Ospedale degli Innocenti: This gallery was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi to present masterpieces such as Botticelli and offers a glimpse of six centuries of history. There is a special focus on the personal stories of the children who lived here when the building was an orphanage. The main exhibition includes memorabilia, documents, artifacts, and media exhibits presenting the 600 year long history of the Institute of the Innocent.
Bargello Museum: The Museo Nazionale del Bargello opened in 1865 and is Italy’s first national museum. It houses Florence’s most important collection of Renaissance sculpture including works by Michelangelo and Donatello. As a former barracks and prison, the building is quite impressive paired with ceramics, waxes, enamels, medals, textiles and much more.