Planning to visit the Galleria dell Accademia Museum in Florence? Considering Florence is world famous for its museums, of course you are! This guide is designed just for you to give you the full scoop on everything you need to know about visiting.
I went there myself to find out the best ways to buy tickets to the Galleria dell Accademia, how to see David without the crowds, and share with you if it’s even worth going (hint: it is!). So let’s hop into it.
Fun Facts about the Galleria dell’Accademia Museum
- The museum is home to most sculptures by Michelangelo.
- The David Statue used to be outside – but was moved to protect it from the elements!
- Originally, the building was an arts academy and the name stuck for the museum, hence: “accademia”
- In addition to art, there’s a collection of musical instruments.
- There’s a replica of Michelangelo’s David in the Piazza della Signoria.
Ways to Get Tickets to Galleria dell Accademia Museum
One of my favorite halls in the Galleria dell’Accademia Museum
At the door
Yes, you can buy your Galleria dell Accademia tickets at the door. But only if the tickets online are sold out and buying at the door is your only option.
If you do buy tickets at the door, this can mean long wait times, so arrive around 7:45 AM to be the first ones in line.
Buy your Skip-the-Line Galleria dell'Accademia tickets through Klook:
I reserved my tickets to the Galleria dell Accademia for the 8:30 AM time slot (with 8:15 AM entry) through Klook (yep, that’s us!).
There are a variety of Galleria dell Accademia Museum tickets to select from, including tickets from a host, which is what I purchased.
Some of the other tickets available to buy through Klook include audio guides (in multiple languages!), and combined Uffizi and Galleria group tours.
There are also some massive benefits to reserving your tickets through Klook, including free cancellation 24 hours before and having early time slots available even when they’re sold out on the official website.
The benefits above actually saved me because I decided to change the day of our visit last minute. I used the free cancellation option to return the tickets I initially bought, and got entry tickets for the very next day (for the opening time).
Directly from the official website:
Buying your tickets to the Galleria dell Accademia through the official website lets you select from specific entry times. With that said, if you want to book the early time slots, you have to book well in advance (like, two weeks ahead, depending on the season).
The main drawbacks of booking directly are that you have to register for an account, pay a processing fee, and you can’t refund or make changes to your tickets once booked.
How to See David Without the Crowds
David looking…almost crowd free?
Anyone heading to the Galleria dell Accademia Museum is probably wondering one thing: how can I see David without the crowds? Because it can get CROWDED around this 16th-century masterpiece.
Well, the best way to see David without the crowds would be to visit first thing when the museum opens and if possible, be one of the first in line. And at the very least, try to visit in the morning if you aren't that much of an early bird.
The museum allows visitors to enter in time slots so as more people come, the crowds build up inside. Ideally, you want to be in with one of the first groups, rather than after several groups have already entered.
When I went, I booked the 8:30 AM skip-the-line ticket with a host, but note that these actually let you in at 8:15 AM, when the museum opens. We arrived about 10 minutes early to pick up our tickets (our bus was running late!) and got inside the museum around 8:25 AM.
The sign for 8:15 AM entry tickets at the museum. This is how you know which line to get into!
Those who arrived well ahead of the 8:15 AM entry time were already in, but despite being some of the last to enter for the 8:15 entry time, the “crowd” around David wasn’t too big. Plus, people stood back quite a bit, making it easy to get pictures.
I even walked back around towards the end of my visit, and the crowds around David weren’t too packed. This was on a Tuesday around 10:00 AM.
Another idea for seeing David without the crowds would be to go see one the replicas of David, such as the one in the Piazza della Signoria, early in the morning before the streets get busy.
![[usxanz] david in florence blog cover](https://res.klook.com/image/upload/fl_lossy.progressive,q_85/c_fill,w_550,h_356/v1755246790/k62v2djdvhvjpc0m701u.jpg)
I heard mixed reviews about whether you can take photos and videos of the David statue. But when I went, plenty of people were doing so! Just no flash photography or selfie sticks.
Getting to the Galleria dell Accademia Museum
One of the most famous works at the museum: Lo Sheggia’s Cassone Adimari
The Galleria dell Accademia is centrally located in Florence making it easy to get to from almost anywhere, including the Florence Cathedral (7 minutes walk) and the Santa Maria Novella train station (15 minutes walk). But let’s cover all the ways to get there and what makes the most sense for you!
Walking:
If you’re staying in a central area in Florence, walking is the best way to get to the Galleria dell’Accademia. If your location is within a 15 or 20-minute walk and you’re capable of walking the distance, go for it!
Heck, even if you’re 30 minutes walking from the museum, it’s not a bad idea – especially because the buses, as I’ll discuss below, can be a bit tricky to catch on time unless there’s a live bus monitor.
Public Transit:
Catching the bus in Florence? Find a stop with the live bus times.
There are numerous buses that you can take to get near the Galleria dell’Accademia museum, but not all are the most convenient, and Google isn’t accurate about the timings. If you’re arriving for one of the first time slots, it’s important that the bus comes on time!
If you find the walk is too long to take (or the weather won’t be good), check the bus route ahead of time and find out if the bus stop has a sign with the live bus times posted.
I stayed northwest of the Santa Maria Novella train station and took the 23 bus to the San Marco Piazza, just a 4-minute walk from the museum. The stop I got on had a live timetable, so I could be sure when it would arrive, and I’d make it in time to the museum.
Taxi:
If you don’t want to take public transit or walk, then the most efficient way to get to the museum is by taxi! Depending on where you are, you might be able to just walk out your door and wave one down. There are even taxi stands you can walk to, and taxis will be waiting for you.
For my neighborhood, there weren’t many taxis, so I would use appTaxi to call one. It worked well, and a taxi came within a few minutes.
By train:
Now arriving at: Santa Maria Novella Station.
There aren’t any trains that traverse across the city of Florence, but if you’re coming into Florence from other cities like Rome, Venice, or Milan, you’ll most likely arrive at Santa Maria Novella Station, the main train station in Florence.
From the station, you can go to the taxi stand and get a taxi to the museum, or walk for just 15 minutes.
For the convenience of traveling around Italy (and arriving in Florence!), you can check out the Trenitalia Train Pass. That’s right – no separate tickets, just one pass.
Reminders before visiting the Galleria dell Accademia:
- The museum is closed every Monday!
- There is no AC in the Galleria dell’Accademia, so pack a fan in the summer!
- Large umbrellas, backpacks, and water bottles are prohibited. We brought a small backpack, a mini umbrella and 500 ml water bottle and were fine!
- There’s no dress code for the Galleria dell’Accademia, although casual and modest clothing is recommended for the setting.
Galleria dell Accademia FAQs
Is the Galleria dell Accademia Museum worth visiting?
Absolutely! There’s a variety of outstanding works to see, from the David statue to centuries-old Florentine paintings and more. Plus, because it takes 2 hours or less to visit, you still have plenty of time for everything else in Florence.
However, if you decide it’s not worth going or you don’t have the time, a replica of David can be found in the Piazza della Signoria.
How long does it take to visit the Galleria dell'Accademia in Firenze?
I took about 1.5 hours to browse the whole museum but you could take up to two, depending on your pace. As the Galleria dell Accademia hours are from 8:15 AM to 6:50 PM, as long as you don’t enter too late you’ll be able to see it all without rushing.
What is inside the Galleria dell Accademia?
The Galleria dell Accademia museum houses some of the most precious works of art from around the globe, with a large number of Florentine works from the 13th to 16th centuries.
The most notable pieces include Michaelangelos David and The Prisoners, Giambologna’s Abduction of the Sabine Woman, and Lo Sheggia’s Cassone Adimari.
What is the difference between the Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria dell Accademia?
The two main differences is that the Uffizi Gallery is home to a much larger collection and more famous pieces. There are also stunning views of the city from the Uffizi Gallery. If you could only visit one of the two, I would say go with the Uffizi Gallery.
Now you’re all set to visit the Galleria dell’Accademia! Don’t forget to plan ahead, book those skip-the-line tickets, and say “Hi” to David for me (but without the huge crowds!).
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