David! Even with the daunting line outside waiting to get inside, I figured I'd give it a go and wait, which turned out to be the very best idea. It was a holiday in Italy and the entrance fee was waived as a result so the line to go in moved quicker. An incredible imposing Michelangelo piece of work awaits your view once you get in, the level of skill required, the sheer size of David was amazing. I didn't think I would have been able to see the main attraction David on my trip. Given I was in Florence for a very short time and there were plenty of other sites to see, I came, I saw, and I left. read more

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A wonderful museum that offers the chance to see the Statue of David. I recommend going early to avoid the crowd. The outside is a little confusing when it comes to which entrance to go to as people are just standing all over the place and the signs aren't very clear until you get close to them. Definitely worth visiting and it's right by the river and a lovely area to wonder around. read more

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Everyone rushes in to see David, snap pics, and leave. There's plenty of other great pieces here. Plenty of places to sit and observe the art. Plenty of time for you to sit and enjoy looking at David as well as the other art. The hall leading to David is lined with other pieces from Michelangelo. Tons of art students around David doing their own drawings of it which is fascinating and moving to watch them create from their inspiration. Bathrooms have no toilet seats Audio tour available but not that helpful. $6. The staff were all pretty rude and not helpful. read more

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The slogan for this museum could be: we got David! And the statue itself is off to the left in a long corridor and towers over visitors. It is truly breathtaking. Like most people, we had tickets to enter ahead of time and were able to walk right in. The time on your ticket appears able to be waived. We had tickets for 10:30 and walked in at 9, which was much less crowded. The rest of the museum houses: Paintings from the Renaissance, mostly religious Byzantine art from churches around Italy; most is made to be hung on the walls around the altar Musical instruments of the Medici, including string instruments like an upright piano and lute Plaster casts of statues, which had a helpful video explaining how plaster casts were made read more

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This museum really isn't that large, but there is a ton of art covering the walls and sculptures all over the place. David is in pride of place in a massive rotunda that fits his largesse quite well. I'm not even a fan of religious art and I found the museum to be beautiful and captivating. Even if you just go straight to David, a visit to this place is worth it. Buy timed tickets online. You get eight in at your allotted time. read more

This museum houses Michelangelo's David, which is what most everyone comes here to see. And absolutely yes, it is worth the time and expense to visit, as seeing in person really has an impact that pictures or facsimiles cannot. There are also a few other semi finished and unfinished statues by Michelangelo, which reveal the process of sculpting and are super cool to see. The museum also contains numerous other masterpieces including a few by Bellini and some other lesser known but no less talented renaissance and medieval artists. There are also many works from the 17th and 18th centuries. There are also a few works here from the 12th and 13th century, which is downright amazing if you think about a work of art lasting 700-800 years. We had a guided tour, but it probably wasn't all that necessary for this part. Given that the museum is pretty small and focuses mainly on the David statue. Which even if that is all there was, would get five stars. read more

Accademia di Belle Arti - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Florence, FI

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An OK museum with a great showstopper at the end. Away from the main section of Florence, the museum is in a nice part of the city. Overall, the museum is filled with some less impressive renaissance artwork and a great reproduction of the fantastic Rape of the Sabines statue. They had a section devoted to renaissance music that is well worth visiting as they give a lot of info on the lives of musicians in the era and you see some long extinct musical instruments as well as the first-ever attempt at a stand-up piano. The museum also has collected together for the first time ever the death masks of Michelangelo. But everyone who goes here knows that all of this is just an appetizer (in Yelp! speak) time until the main event - Michelangelo's David. I'm not much of a fine-art lover (I prefer comic books), but it's really impossible not to be bowled over by this magnificent statue. And the museum has put it in an ideal location where you can stand, sit, and walk around the whole thing. They've served their star attraction very well - the statue looks great in its dedicated hallway. Despite there being a massive crush of people, it was easy to find an unobstructed view and take pictures. So, is this worth going to for the David statue alone? Absolutely! And there's some other fun stuff worth checking out too, particularly the musical instrument exhibit. read more

The people here apparently do not respect their customers. We arrived from our cruise ship for a 10:45 skip the line reservation. We end up in a line around the block because the employees here decided to strike. Such the European thing to do (this has happened to us in several European cities) Needless to say, paying the cash I did for the experience, I'm not impressed. Get to work and do your job. You grievance shouldn't be my problem. read more

Accademia di Belle Arti - Line around the block due to a strike. - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Florence, FI

Really the main reason people go here is to see the statue of David, which is why I went here also. I didn't realize how big it was! It was magnificent seeing it in person from every angle. The rest of the museum is small compared to the Uffzi but it's still warrants a look around. I actually enjoyed seeing the unfinished sculptures. read more

Accademia di Belle Arti - The famous David - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Florence, FI

How can you not give this place a 5/5! Turning the corner and seeing the David for the first time almost brought tears to my eyes. I never realized how huge the sculpture actually is! Towering over the visitors, he had such a powerful presence. I couldn't believe the immense detail Michaelangelo put into his art-- from the veins in David's hand to the way his body is shifted under his weight distribution to his ears and hair-- every little detail blew my mind. To think a man and a chisel crafted this magnificence from an unwanted block of marble. Truly breathtaking. The other statues in the gallery were pretty spectacular as well. I will never forget this experience! Tip: reserve your time slot online before to skip the crowds and lines! Worth every penny! read more

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We see the picture of David but that is nothing. Extreme mind blowing perfection in every way. The great story of David and Goliath, the sling shot over his shoulder, his youthful yet penetrating stare, and the perfection that is truly beyond my words. Of all the amazing art I have seen in my life, this one is more touching, more penetrating, more mind shattering, and just amazing. I sat in the room what seemed like forever but was not enough. Thank you Michelangelo! If you decide you want to go, first have the Firenze pass. Do not go between the hours of 3-5pm. Go in the middle of the day, 11-3. Don't stand in line, and have such close access you can touch him (not really but it feels that close). There is nothing else to see in this museum, just stay with him as long as you can. read more

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As soon as we checked in at our hotel near the Duomo on a Friday afternoon, the front desk person suggested we visit the Academia Gallery before the weekend crowd. It was a great suggestion for there was no line when we got there! What a marvelous display inside. So many exquisite sculptures. This is one of the main reason we have traveled to Florence. We felt so fortunate to be able to see such fantastic creations in person. Its definitely a great beginning of our visit to this beautiful city. read more

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You know you are in the presence of a true masterpiece when you see David (or like Italians call him "Il David"). It feels like he is alive. You are so struck by the lifelikeness, soulfulness, and mastery of Michelangelo's sculpture, that you cannot leave him for hours. Not even the most masterfully taken pictures do him justice - in order to feel his presence, you have to see him in person. The Accademia's gallery was specifically created to house David as this was not originally his intended home. There are other works at the galleria that are of note but David steals the collective attention. Even when you walk away from him to look at the others, you can feel his presence and are inadvertently drawn back to him. He is unforgettable... read more

Accademia This museum is a big draw in Florence. We did not reserve tickets, but I would suggest that you go through the process and by reserve tickets. It's in an easily accessible area of old town Florence. You can book a tour or rent an sudio program, but my suggestion would be to download the Rick Steve's audio walking tour of the Academia. And Rick and s partner have a lot more humorous view for the tour. They also have great suggestions of where to stand, where to go, and where to take pictures. The statue of David is amazing and some of the unfinished work of Michelangelo can explain the methodology in his work. Make sure you take the time to go in the side museum of the musical instruments. read more

This museum houses a very nice exhibit of antique musical instruments, several partially completed sculptures by Michelangelo (The Prisoners), a collection of plaster casts of a huge number of portraiture sculptures -- and Michelangelo's David. David alone would be worth the admission, of course, but even if you take your time and spend, say, an hour admiring him from every angle, there's really not much else to see. Worth 5 stars, but be aware of the overall limited scope of your visit. It is interesting to compare this David with the one by Bernini in Rome's Borghese Gallery. This one is much larger, of course -- but the really interesting thing is how the two sculptors chose to represent their subject. Bernini's David is shown in the act of releasing the sling shot, his face and entire body dramatically contorted with the effort. Michelangelo's David is much more contemplative, shown in the act of sizing up Goliath and deciding what to do next. Both are very impressive. Highly recommended for David alone... read more