Accademia di Belle Arti
Accademia di Belle Arti
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
265 reviews
Excellent
171
Very good
61
Average
19
Poor
8
Terrible
6
ThorwaldVikingAsgaar
Winter Park, FL182 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
The Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze (lit. 'academy of fine arts of Florence') is an instructional art academy in Florence, in Tuscany, in central Italy.
It was founded by Cosimo I de' Medici in 1563, under the influence of Giorgio Vasari. Michelangelo, Benvenuto Cellini and other significant artists have been associated with it.
Like other state art academies in Italy, it became an autonomous degree-awarding institution under law no. 508 dated 21 December 1999, and falls under the administration of the Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, the Italian ministry of education and research.
The adjacent (but unaffiliated) Galleria dell'Accademia houses the original David by Michelangelo.
It was founded by Cosimo I de' Medici in 1563, under the influence of Giorgio Vasari. Michelangelo, Benvenuto Cellini and other significant artists have been associated with it.
Like other state art academies in Italy, it became an autonomous degree-awarding institution under law no. 508 dated 21 December 1999, and falls under the administration of the Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, the Italian ministry of education and research.
The adjacent (but unaffiliated) Galleria dell'Accademia houses the original David by Michelangelo.
Written June 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
indianacato
Evansville, IN310 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
We had made reservations online for our entry time. Arriving at the Accademia, it was very confusing to figure out where we needed to be and how to get our ticket. Luckily we met some people in line who had figured it out from someone else in line, etc. You bring your printed reservation and take it to the ticket window for a ticket. Then you get in line. It doesn't really get you in at a particular time; I guess it just keeps everyone from showing up at the same time. And you do go in using a separate line from people without reservations. Anyway, the museum isn't that big so it does not need to take a big chunk of your day if you don't want it to; you could probably allot a couple of hours max unless you want to look at everything in depth. Seeing David in real life is amazing and is a "don't miss" experience if you are in Florence. In addition to David there is a lot of religious artwork, a musical instrument section which is pretty interesting, and the sculptures Rape of the Sabines and Prisoners.
Written June 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg C
Thirroul, Australia62 contributions
Sep 2013 • Couples
We've visited Accademia a number of times and this was the first time we didn't pre-book a time slot. While the queue was relatively modest, about 30 metres, it took us nearly 2 hours to get in. Once you are in, the queue and the time wasted disappear when you walk around the corner from the entrance and see the enormous 5 metre tall masterpiece called David. It's hard to believe that a human being could create such a work of art.
While in Accademia, don't forget the other rooms filled with many other items including paintings, incomplete statues by Michangelo and others, and musical instruments, including a number of Antonio Stradivari's.
TIPS:
1) book ahead. It costs €15 online and €11 at The Accademia (cheaper but remember the wait)
2) take care when booking online. A number if websites appear to be the official one, including the confusingly (deliberately) named www.uffizi.com, which will have you paying almost double the official rate.
3) use the official site which is http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/
4) today at The Accademia there was a commercial company selling no-wait tickets for €20, which is probably a reasonable last minute option if you don't want to queue.
4) spend time looking at other rooms in the gallery, besides the one housing David
While in Accademia, don't forget the other rooms filled with many other items including paintings, incomplete statues by Michangelo and others, and musical instruments, including a number of Antonio Stradivari's.
TIPS:
1) book ahead. It costs €15 online and €11 at The Accademia (cheaper but remember the wait)
2) take care when booking online. A number if websites appear to be the official one, including the confusingly (deliberately) named www.uffizi.com, which will have you paying almost double the official rate.
3) use the official site which is http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/
4) today at The Accademia there was a commercial company selling no-wait tickets for €20, which is probably a reasonable last minute option if you don't want to queue.
4) spend time looking at other rooms in the gallery, besides the one housing David
Written September 15, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CQXelent
24 contributions
Oct 2019 • Solo
I visited the place today to appreciate the great work by Michelangelo. After queuing for half an hour, I left without entering,
here is why:
He first started accusing me for skipping the line which i didn't. so i said i wasn't skipping the line. there are two security gate and i went for one of them.
Then he staring at me and shouting: I'm the security here, if you go against me, I will call the police.
I wasn't doing anything wrong so I said: you can call police anytime you want, I didn't do anything wrong.
Then he shouted again: you either do as I said or you get out.
Apparently, I said I will leave now. As I am not begging you to visit the place. I did nothing to deserve this.
I'm Asia, maybe this is just one of the cases where minority got discriminated.
I am sure if Michelangelo was alive, he will be shamed that his masterpiece is guarded by this guy, who apparently has no manner or courtesy.
I hope the manager can review their process and stuff to make sure all tourists deserve what they come for.
Sometime even if we know we can't change anything, we still should try our best to make the world a better place.
It's like Greta, she might already know the big enterprise/country won't do anything to save the planet, but she is still doing her best to make the world a better place.
When I took the photo of this guy he was even proud of himself, he might truely think he is the king.
here is why:
He first started accusing me for skipping the line which i didn't. so i said i wasn't skipping the line. there are two security gate and i went for one of them.
Then he staring at me and shouting: I'm the security here, if you go against me, I will call the police.
I wasn't doing anything wrong so I said: you can call police anytime you want, I didn't do anything wrong.
Then he shouted again: you either do as I said or you get out.
Apparently, I said I will leave now. As I am not begging you to visit the place. I did nothing to deserve this.
I'm Asia, maybe this is just one of the cases where minority got discriminated.
I am sure if Michelangelo was alive, he will be shamed that his masterpiece is guarded by this guy, who apparently has no manner or courtesy.
I hope the manager can review their process and stuff to make sure all tourists deserve what they come for.
Sometime even if we know we can't change anything, we still should try our best to make the world a better place.
It's like Greta, she might already know the big enterprise/country won't do anything to save the planet, but she is still doing her best to make the world a better place.
When I took the photo of this guy he was even proud of himself, he might truely think he is the king.
Written October 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chepaddy
Edinburgh, UK7,127 contributions
May 2012 • Couples
A 'must see' to visit Michelangelo's statue of David. Additionally you see half finished sculptures by Michelangelo so you get an opportunity to see how the process of creating David must have taken.
The most important thing is getting in & avoiding the queues. Sometimes there are small queues while other times the queues can be quite big.
You can call +39 055 294883 to make a reservation in advance which costs an extra €4 onto the €11 ticket price. The phone operator will give you a 6 digit extension number which you quote when you purchase tickets. All the operator takes is your name & asks what your chosen day / time slot is.
The reservation will then allow you to go to a different door avoiding the long queues. The real beauty of the phone reservation is that you do not pay until you turn up so if there are any unforeseen changes to your schedule you don't end up out of pocket. Additionally if there are small queues, you would simply queue up and avoid paying the €4 reservation fee.
Phone reservation available Mon - Fri 08.30 - 18.30 (Italian time) & Sat 08.30 - 12.30.
Tried the online booking service but gave up as it kept falling over as I input the details of my UK credit card.
I found out about the telephone reservation on the Tripadvisor forum & it was an invaluable tip.
The most important thing is getting in & avoiding the queues. Sometimes there are small queues while other times the queues can be quite big.
You can call +39 055 294883 to make a reservation in advance which costs an extra €4 onto the €11 ticket price. The phone operator will give you a 6 digit extension number which you quote when you purchase tickets. All the operator takes is your name & asks what your chosen day / time slot is.
The reservation will then allow you to go to a different door avoiding the long queues. The real beauty of the phone reservation is that you do not pay until you turn up so if there are any unforeseen changes to your schedule you don't end up out of pocket. Additionally if there are small queues, you would simply queue up and avoid paying the €4 reservation fee.
Phone reservation available Mon - Fri 08.30 - 18.30 (Italian time) & Sat 08.30 - 12.30.
Tried the online booking service but gave up as it kept falling over as I input the details of my UK credit card.
I found out about the telephone reservation on the Tripadvisor forum & it was an invaluable tip.
Written June 10, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim W
American Fork, UT277 contributions
Jun 2014 • Family
David was awesome. Worth the wait. Here are some tips that might be helpful.
Do yourself a favor and reserve tickets early. There are scalpers who will sell you tickets at a premium price to get in a bit earlier. You still have to stand in the reserved ticket line. We ended up waiting 3 hours. Here are a few tips: Bring your passport along with your school ID to get in for free (I believe). You need both . Bring an umbrella for shade. Direct sunlight while waiting in line. The pizza on the corners were not very good. Across the street in front of the entrance there is a grocery store. We purchased pre-made salads and ate them while waiting. They also had a deli counter. Tasty, affordable and refreshing. Food and water were a must for passing the time. We also found a little leather shop on the South of the Accademia, where the line turns around the corner. We loved this shop. We bought handmade leather bracelets for the kiddies back home for 1E. The stalls were selling them for 3E. He will also custom make them to fit your wrist. He also had wallets and leather notebooks. Really a fun shop. Use your time in line to make new friends. We enjoyed visiting with the people around us.
Do yourself a favor and reserve tickets early. There are scalpers who will sell you tickets at a premium price to get in a bit earlier. You still have to stand in the reserved ticket line. We ended up waiting 3 hours. Here are a few tips: Bring your passport along with your school ID to get in for free (I believe). You need both . Bring an umbrella for shade. Direct sunlight while waiting in line. The pizza on the corners were not very good. Across the street in front of the entrance there is a grocery store. We purchased pre-made salads and ate them while waiting. They also had a deli counter. Tasty, affordable and refreshing. Food and water were a must for passing the time. We also found a little leather shop on the South of the Accademia, where the line turns around the corner. We loved this shop. We bought handmade leather bracelets for the kiddies back home for 1E. The stalls were selling them for 3E. He will also custom make them to fit your wrist. He also had wallets and leather notebooks. Really a fun shop. Use your time in line to make new friends. We enjoyed visiting with the people around us.
Written September 3, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
j0squared
Vancouver, Canada251 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
Buy your tickets ahead of time. I hate lining up only to have people try to jump the line. There are A LOT of websites that will try to sell them, but buy them here http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/venueAccademia.aspx it's the official one. Buying them ahead of time is important if you are going in the summer. This museum is significantly smaller than the Uffizi. However, go to see David. It was breathtaking. The downside is that you can't take photos of David. Please be aware of this when you go. There is a replica outside the museum you can take photos with.
Written March 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KBuffo
Boston, MA60 contributions
Jul 2019
The real show here is the David, which is utterly staggering. Leading up to it are a series of other incomplete sculptures by the artist that are beautiful in their own right, and speak volumes about his technical, conceptual and emotional approach to his work
Written July 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Moises R
11 contributions
Mar 2015 • Solo
So you want to see David? Well, he's there and all his gloriousness. Seeing the details on this 6 ton white naked dude, really helps you understand why it's been regarded as a masterpiece. There are other sculptures and lots of religious art. But that doesn't matter, all that is just "meh" compared to the music exhibit or wing.
Anyway, I used to play in the orchestra so it was really neat seeing all the old instruments; Stradivariuseses and such. Some really funny looking ones and incredibly interesting ones, it made me travel to a time in my mind where my curiosity and passion for music once existed before life made me bitter. It's small, but I easily spend triple the time in there than the other part where David and his chiseled abs hung out.
It was Sunday and it was free. So very worth it.
Anyway, I used to play in the orchestra so it was really neat seeing all the old instruments; Stradivariuseses and such. Some really funny looking ones and incredibly interesting ones, it made me travel to a time in my mind where my curiosity and passion for music once existed before life made me bitter. It's small, but I easily spend triple the time in there than the other part where David and his chiseled abs hung out.
It was Sunday and it was free. So very worth it.
Written March 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hugs4u
Los Angeles751 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
Seeing Michelangelo's utterly spectacular and iconic "David" was worth the price of admission, even if it was the only art piece to see. Still, there were plenty of other religious paintings and sculptures there to keep you interested. We were particularly fascinated by the short video that demonstrated how sculptors, including these fine masters, made plaster casts of the sculptures as a "first draft". I had no idea they did that! There is an entire room filled with these plaster casts, as evidenced by the pin or nail holes that helped the sculptor scale his sculpture. Interesting!!
You won't have to worry about people getting in front of you to spoil your photo of David since photography is forbidden throughout this museum. Copyrights, don't you know. Still, it was nice to simply enjoy the magnificence that is David. Give yourself 1-1.5 hours here, more if you're a religious art enthusiast.
The line in mid-March was quite short, but most guide books suggest getting your tickets well in advance so you can skip the queue. The Firenze pass will allow you entry and skip the queue, but you'll have to decide if the €72 to be used in 72 hours is worth the cost. Here is a website where you can get more info about the Firenze pass, which I would surely consider if you're visiting during the high tourist season. Who wants to spend all their vacation time standing in endless queues?? http://www.firenzecard.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=105&lang=en
You won't have to worry about people getting in front of you to spoil your photo of David since photography is forbidden throughout this museum. Copyrights, don't you know. Still, it was nice to simply enjoy the magnificence that is David. Give yourself 1-1.5 hours here, more if you're a religious art enthusiast.
The line in mid-March was quite short, but most guide books suggest getting your tickets well in advance so you can skip the queue. The Firenze pass will allow you entry and skip the queue, but you'll have to decide if the €72 to be used in 72 hours is worth the cost. Here is a website where you can get more info about the Firenze pass, which I would surely consider if you're visiting during the high tourist season. Who wants to spend all their vacation time standing in endless queues?? http://www.firenzecard.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=105&lang=en
Written April 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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