Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
Sculpture museum holding the originals from the cathedral square
Overview
Museums in Florence
The best museums in Florence at a glance - from the Uffizi to Michelangelo's David in the Accademia to the Bargello. With 2026 prices, combined tickets and booking tips.
Uffizi Gallery
Renaissance gallery of the Medici on the Arno
Galleria dell'Accademia
Michelangelo's David in the original
Medici Chapels
Medici mausoleum with Michelangelo's New Sacristy
Museo Nazionale del Bargello
Renaissance sculpture in Florence's oldest palace
Museo Galileo
Science museum with Galileo's telescopes
No results found.
Contents
Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance, and its museums hold the greatest works to prove it. We cover six houses here; for the two most important, booking ahead is practically essential.
Florence's most important museums
Top of the list is the Uffizi Gallery, home to Botticelli's Birth of Venus and works by Leonardo, Raphael and Caravaggio - the world's most important Renaissance collection and the clear number one for first-time visitors. Right after it comes the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo's original David.
Renaissance sculpture in breadth - Donatello's bronze David, works by Michelangelo and Giambologna - is on show at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello. The Medici family's burial chapels, with Michelangelo's New Sacristy, are gathered in the Medici Chapels. The history of science, with Galileo's original instruments, is the subject of Museo Galileo, and the cathedral's original sculptures taken down for preservation - including Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise - are held by the Opera del Duomo Museum.
Prices, free days and tickets
Regular 2026 admission prices range from €11 (Medici Chapels) and €12 (Bargello) through €14 (Museo Galileo) and €20 (Accademia, plus a €4 booking fee) up to €25 for the Uffizi; the Uffizi is cheaper in the afternoon from 16:00. The Opera del Duomo Museum has no standalone ticket - the cheapest way in is the cathedral complex's Ghiberti Pass, from €15.
On the first Sunday of every month, the four state museums are free - the Uffizi, the Accademia, the Bargello and the Medici Chapels - though without reservations and with crowds. Museo Galileo and the Opera del Duomo Museum don't take part. If you're visiting several houses, combined tickets save money - the Accademia plus Bargello costs €26 (48 hours), and the Bargello museums' six-museum ticket costs €38 (72 hours). If you're also planning the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens, their PassePartout is worth it; an overview of the Firenze Card helps with that decision. You only need to book ahead for the Uffizi and the Accademia - both use fixed time slots. All the museums, with location and details, are listed below.
Frequently asked questions
Which museums in Florence are free?+
On the first Sunday of every month, admission to the four state museums is free - the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia Gallery, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello and the Medici Chapels. No reservations are possible on these days and crowds are heavy. The Bargello is also free on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November. Museo Galileo (a private institute) and the Opera del Duomo Museum (part of the cathedral complex) do not take part in the free Sunday.
Which museum in Florence is a must-see?+
For first-time visitors, the Uffizi Gallery - the world's most important Renaissance collection, with Botticelli, Leonardo and Raphael. Right after that, the Accademia Gallery with Michelangelo's original David. If you want Renaissance sculpture in breadth, head to the Bargello; if you're interested in the history of science, go to Museo Galileo.
How many museums does this overview cover?+
Six houses: the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia Gallery, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, the Medici Chapels, Museo Galileo and the Opera del Duomo Museum.
Which museums in Florence do you need to book in advance?+
Only the Uffizi and the Accademia are essential to pre-book - both use fixed entry time slots, and without a booking the queues are very long. Booking ahead for the Medici Chapels is recommended but not compulsory. The Bargello and Museo Galileo can be visited on a whim; for the Opera del Duomo Museum, access is included within the validity of the cathedral complex pass with no fixed time slot.
Is a combined ticket or the Firenze Card worth it for the museums?+
Combined tickets pay off as soon as you visit more than one of the included houses - the Accademia plus Bargello for €26 (48 hours), or the Bargello museums' six-museum ticket for €38 (72 hours). For a single museum day, on the other hand, the Firenze Card usually isn't worth it - a single ticket is cheaper then.