Statue of David and Galleria dell’Accademia

Want to see the Statue of David in Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence? The David Statue is one of the world’s most famous statues and was created by Michelangelo. It’s located in the art museum Galleria dell’Accademia, where you can see artworks from several other world famous artist.

A visit to Galleria dell’Accademia is one of the most popular things to do do in Florence, so buying tickets in advance is recommended. Down below you can read more about the Statue of David and Galleria dell’Accademia, as well as useful information before your visit:

Tickets to Galleria dell’Accademia

Galleria dell’Accademia is one of the most popular attractions in Florence, so I can recommend buying your tickets in advance.

You can buy tickets on site, however, then you will most likely have to stand in long queues before entering the museum. That’s why I recommend buying tickets in advance.

If you buy tickets in advance, you can skip the lines, which saves you a lot of time – time that you can spend inside the museum instead.

Lik mentioned, this is a very popular museum in Florence, so if you are planning to visit during high season I recommend booking about 2-3 months in advance to make sure to get a ticket.

Buy skip-the-line tickets with a guided tour

Statue of David

The David statue is one of the most popular artworks inside Galleria dell’Accademia. This statue was created by Michelangelo of one single block of marble between 1501 and 1504.

Michelangelo was 26 years old when he began to create his masterpiece, which was supposed to stand on the roof of the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore. When the 5-ton statue was completed, they realized that it was impossible to get it up on the roof, so they placed it in the Palazzo della Signoria instead.

It stood in the palace from 1504 until 1873, and was then moved into the Galleria dell’Accademia.

The statue is a symbol of David, a biblical figure. He is best known from the battle with Goliath described in “First Samuel” 17 of the Old Testament in the Bible.

Facts about the David Statue

• Michelangelo’s David is made of one block of marble.
• It’s over 5 meters tall and weighs around 5 tons.
• During an uprising in 1527, protesters broke the statue’s left arm in three places.
• Moving the statue from Palazzo Vecchio to the gallery required 40 men and took four days.
• David’s right hand is much larger than the left, which is believed he sculpted on purpose since David’s nickname means “strong of hand”.
• In 1857, the David statue was displayed at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and Queen Victoria ordered a leaf to cover his genitals. She thought the statue looked too naked to stand inside a museum.
• Michelangelo made a portrait of David before his battle with Goliath, which broke the tradition of portraying him after the battle.

Galleria dell’Accademia

Galleria dell’Accademia is one of Florence’s most important museums and is known for its artwork created by Michelangelo, among many other famous artists.

The museum is best known for the Statue of David, but also for other sculptures created by Michelangelo and the large collection of paintings created by Florentine artists.

This museum is smaller and more specialized comparing to the Uffizi Gallery, which is the most important museum in the city.

Galleria dell’Accademia was founded in 1784 by Pietro Leopoldo, who was a Duke of Tuscany. The building was home to famous works of art and also a hospital and monastery – that’s why the inside is so simple.

Today the gallery Galleria dell’Accademia is the second most popular museum in Italy, after the Uffizi Gallery. This museum have around 1.5 million visitors each year.

Facts about Galleria dell’Accademia

• The most famous work of art in the Galleria dell’Accademia is the statue of David.
• The museum is home to several other artworks by Michelangelo, including “prisoners”, which was meant to decorate Pope Julius II’s tomb.
• Inside the museum you can see Florentine paintings by Andrea del Sarto, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Paolo Uccello and Sandro Botticelli.
• The painting “Madonna & Child” by Sandro Botticelli can also be found in Galleria dell’Accademia.

Opening hours

The museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays between 08.15 – 18.50. Galleria dell’Accademia is closed on Mondays, January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.

The ticket office closes at 18.20 and the museum starts closing down at 18.40

Hotels nearby Galleria dell’Accademia

Below you have two recommended hotels that are within walking distance to the museum. Both hotels are nice and offer comfortable hotel rooms:

• Milu Hotel
• Hotel Spadai

Frequently asked questions

Are there any toilets?

Yes, there are toilets on the ground floor of the museum.

Is there a cloakroom?

No, there’s no cloakroom inside the museum.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the whole museum is wheelchair accessible.

Is it free to visit the museum and Michelangelo’s David?

Usually it’s not free to visit the Galleria dell’Accademia. However, it’s free to visit on the first Sunday every month.

During this day there are many people who choose to visit, so make sure to be on time if you want to visit during this day.

Is it common for tickets to sell out?

Since Galleria dell’Accademia is one of the most popular museums in the city, tickets can sell out – sometimes several weeks in advance.

The best thing you can do is book your tickets well in advance to make sure you’ll get to visit the museum.

Book your tickets to Galleria dell’Accademia

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