10 Best Museums in Florence

It is known as the city with the most works of art per square metre in the world and no wonder, as the city of Florence has a large number of museums. Many of them are essential, such as the Uffizi Gallery or the Accademia Gallery, but there are also other very important ones that you should not miss. Below, I'll tell you which ones you can't miss on your trip, their opening times, prices and all the interesting information you need to know.

And if you are looking for other types of leisure activities, read the post What to see and do in Florence and find out all the possibilities.

The Uffizi Gallery is, without a doubt, the most important museum in Florence, as well as the most visited both in the capital of Tuscany and in Italy in general. In this art gallery, which is located in the Piazzale degli Uffizi, you can see paintings of great artistic value such as:

• 'The Birth of Venus' and 'The Spring' by Botticelli.
• The Portrait of the Dukes of Urbino by Piero della Francesca.
• The Virgin of the Goldfinch' by Raphael
• 'Judith beheading Holofernes' by Artemisia Gentileschi
• 'The Venus of Urbino' by Titian
• Tondo Doni' by Michelangelo
• Bacchus' by Caravaggio

The estimated duration of the visit is a minimum of three hours. Regarding the opening hours, the gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8:15 am to 6:30 pm, so my recommendation is to go early in the morning. The price starts at €20, although you can consider taking a guided tour to see all the works in depth.

• Price... From €20.
• Opening hours... From 8:15 am to 6:30 pm.

After the Uffizi, the Galleria dell'Accademia is the second most visited museum in Florence. The temple that houses the 'David', Michelangelo's most famous work. But it also houses other works of great artistic value such as:

• `The Rape of the Sabine Women' by John of Bologna.
• Venus and Cupid' by Jacopo da Pontormo,
• The Virgin and Child, St. John and the two angels' by Sandro Botticelli
• 'The Tree of Life' by Pacino di Buonaguida
• Painted Cross with the Virgin and St. John' by Bernardo Daddi
• The Prisoners' by Michelangelo.

The Accademia Gallery is located in Via Ricasoli and tickets are priced from 20€ for adults and 2€ for young people aged 18 to 25. Visiting hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 6:45 pm.

• Price... From 20€.
• Opening hours... Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 6:45pm.

The Palazzo Pitti is located south of the Arno River and is a Renaissance style building that for years was the residence of families of great influence in the history of the city of Florence such as the Medici and the Pitti.

Inside it houses a series of museums such as the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Silver Museum, the Costume Museum and the Museum of Porcelain. Admission costs from €10 and opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15am to 6.30pm.

During your visit, I recommend that you also take the opportunity to explore the Boboli Gardens, discover all its nooks and crannies and contemplate its statues, fountains and grottoes. They cover an area of more than four square kilometres and are open every day of the week from 8:15 am to 4:30 pm. - Depending on the time of year you visit them, they are open from 8.15 am to 4.30 pm and 7 pm. Admission prices start at €16 for adults.

• Price... From 16€.
• Opening hours... Tuesday to Sunday from 8:15 am to 6:30 pm.

Palazzo Vecchio is located in Piazza della Signoria and is a building designed in the early 14th century by the architect Arnolfo di Cambio. Its most characteristic feature is its tower of more than 90 metres high, built between 1299 and 1344.

Among its most famous rooms are the Stanza delle Mappe geografiche and the Sala del Cinquecento, which also holds the title of being the largest room in Florence, measuring 54 metres long by 22 metres wide and 17 metres high. Inside the Palace you will have the opportunity to see works by various artists such as Domenico Ghirlandaio, Bronzino and Giorgio Vasari.

The Palazzo Vecchio is open every day of the week from 9 am to 7 pm, except on Thursdays when it has reduced opening hours from 9 am to 2 pm.

• Price... From €27.
• Opening hours... Every day of the week from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Thursdays from 9 am to 2 pm.

The National Archaeological Museum of Florence is located in the Palazzo della Crocetta, in Piazza Santissima Annunziata, one of the most beautiful squares in the city of Florence.

This museum houses a very important collection of Etruscan art, including pieces such as 'The Chimera'. The museum also houses the second most important collection of Egyptian art in Italy.

• Price... From 4€.
• Opening hours... Tuesday to Friday, from 8:30am to 7pm, and Sundays, from 8:30am to 2pm.

Leonardo da Vinci is a figure closely linked to the history of Florence. In fact, in the heart of Florence, there are two museums that delve into the life and work of this artist, inventor and scientist who was a forerunner of his time.

On the one hand, there is the Leonardo da Vinci Museum, which was promoted in the 1960s by Carlo Niccolai. The artist decided to create by hand and on a large scale, from his codices, a complete collection of Leonardo's machines. To do so, he had the support of various academics who helped him to decipher the artist's notes.

• Price... From €8.
• Opening hours... Summer: From 9:30 am to 7:30 pm; Winter: Monday to Saturday from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm and Sundays from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm.

And, on the other hand, there is the Interactive Museum of Leonardo, which also includes reproductions of Leonardo's inventions. In this case, it is divided into four thematic areas. It also houses a collection of geographical tables.

• Price... From €8.
• Opening hours... Summer: From 10 am to 7 pm; Winter: Mondays from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 am to 6 pm, Saturdays from 10 am to 7 pm and Sundays from 9.30 am to 6 pm.

The Museo Nazionale del Bargello houses the largest collection of Italian Renaissance sculptures from the 14th to the 16th century. Located in the Palazzo del Bargello, it opened to the public in 1865 and is well worth a visit for the decoration and architecture of the building.

On your visit you can also see a collection of Medici medals and a military collection of arms and armour. The Sala di Donatello is one of its most famous rooms and houses an important collection of works by the artist. It is open every day of the week from 8.15am to 5pm and admission costs from €10 per adult.

• Price... From 10€.
• Opening hours... Every day of the week from 8:15 am to 5 pm.

The Galileo Museum is located in Piazza dei Giudici and is also known as the Museum of the History of Science, as it houses an important collection of scientific instruments such as Galileo's first telescope, an experimental object, thermometers of the Academy of the Foundation and various astronomical, optical, mathematical and navigational devices. It also has a library with 150,000 works and a multimedia laboratory.

The Galileo Museum is an essential visit for science lovers and is open from Monday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 6 pm. Prices start at €9 and from €5.5 for reduced admission.

• Price... From €9.
• Opening hours... Every day of the week from 9:30 am to 6 pm.

The Stefano Bardini Museum is located in Via dei Renai and has a collection of over 3,500 pieces including paintings, sculptures, musical instruments, ceramics, medals, coins, armour and even furniture, ranging from Roman times to the 18th century. Some of the most outstanding works are the 'Madonna of Cordai' by Donatello, the 'Carità de Tino' di Camaino, the 'Porcellino' by Petro Tacca and 'San Michele Arcangelo' by Antonio del Pollaiolo.

• Price... From 7€.
• Opening hours... From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Museo Casa Di Dante is located in Via Santa Margherita and pays homage to the author of the 'Divine Comedy', Dante Alighieri. Each floor focuses on one of the periods of the artist's work. Thus, on the first floor you will find objects, drawings, documents and maps of Florence from his childhood to his youth; the first floor focuses on the period when he lived in exile after being ambassador to Florence and you can see illustrations from this period. The third floor brings together paintings of the poet from the 11th century by artists such as Raphael, Andrea Ghirlandaio, Luca Signorelli and Giotto.

• Price... From 8€.
• Opening hours... In summer: Every day of the week from 10 am to 6 pm during the summer months. Winter: Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm.