Accademia Gallery 2026: tickets, David & guided tours

Q: Do you need to buy Accademia tickets in advance?

It’s not mandatory, but it’s recommended, especially from April to September, on weekends and holidays. The reserved ticket has a time slot and uses the dedicated entrance; those who buy at the ticket office enter via the non-reserved entrance, in the queue. How to book, step by step.

Q: How much time do you need to visit the Accademia Gallery?

There is no official data; guides usually indicate about one hour, from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Those who want to calmly see the musical instruments and the Gipsoteca as well should allow more time. What not to miss.

Q: Can you see David without a ticket?

No, the original cannot: it has been in the Accademia’s Tribuna since 1873. Two copies can be seen for free: the marble one in Piazza della Signoria, from 1910, and the bronze one at Piazzale Michelangelo, from 1875. Why there are three Davids in Florence.

Tickets

Choose your entry to the David

At the centre our choice: the timed ticket, without a guide, to be collected just a short walk from the museum. On the left, one hour with a live guide; on the right, entry with an audio guide in nine languages.

Live guide 1 hour with the guide6 languages

Guided tour of the Accademia with entry

Live guideHeadphonesVia Ricasoli 39

An hour with a guide among the Prigioni and the Tribune of David, with reserved entry. After the tour, depending on the offer, you can stay in the museum until closing.

What’s included

Live guide in Italian, English, German, Spanish, French or Portuguese
Timed entry ticket and headphones
1-hour guided tour, then free time in the museum
Meeting point at Via Ricasoli 39, a few doors from the Accademia Gallery, 15 minutes before
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

Duration1 hour with the guideFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance Book this

Timed entry 1-2 hour visitWithout a guide

Timed entry ticket for David

With timed entryWithout a guidePickup nearby

The timed entry ticket, to be collected at an agency a short walk from the museum. Depending on the offer, smartphone audioguide and virtual reality are optional extras.

What’s included

Timed entry ticket, valid for all museum rooms
Pickup at the office at Via degli Alfani 115 R, 10 minutes before the scheduled time
Smartphone audioguide or virtual reality experience, only if selected in the option
No live guide; security check remains for all
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

Duration1-2 hour visitFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance Book this

With audioguide 1-2 hour visitAudioguide in 9 languages

Timed entry with audio guide

Scheduled time9 languagesHeadphones

Reserved entry and an audio guide app to listen to at your own pace, room by room. The voucher is exchanged for the ticket at an office near the Accademia Gallery, depending on the offer.

What’s included

Time slot reservation and entry ticket
Audioguide app in 9 languages, with headphones and Wi-Fi to download it
Voucher exchange at an office near the Accademia Gallery, depending on the option chosen
Late arrivals lose their reserved entry, as per the offer
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

Duration1-2 hour visitFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance Book this

Four ways to see more

Two tours combining the Uffizi and Accademia, one private and one with an art historian, plus David with the Duomo

Two museums 3 hoursMax 15 people

At a glance

What each option includes

All lead to David. The differences lie in the details: whether there is a guide, the language, the meeting point, duration and if the tour also includes the Uffizi. Details come from the individual offers.

Offer	Meeting point	Ideal for	Duration	Language	Guide	Cancellation
Timed entry ticket for David	Pickup at Via degli Alfani 115 R	Those who want just the David and the museum at their own pace	1-2 hour visit	Optional audio guide in 7 languages	No	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this
Guided tour of the Accademia with entry	Via Ricasoli 39	A first visit explained, without taking up half a day	1 hour with the guide	IT, EN, DE, ES, FR, PT	Yes, live	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this
Timed entry with audio guide	Office near the Accademia Gallery	Those who prefer to hear the stories behind the works without a group	1-2 hour visit	Audioguide in 9 languages	Audio guide	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this
Uffizi and Accademia in a small group	Florence city centre, depending on the language	The Uffizi and David in the same tour with a guide, with tickets for both museums	3 hours	IT, EN, FR, ES, DE	Yes, live	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this
Uffizi and Accademia, private tour	Uffizi exit, Via dei Castellani	A guide just for your family or group, with a schedule decided together	3 hours	IT, EN, ES, DE, FR, PT, RU	Yes, private	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this
David and Duomo with a guide	Piazza San Marco, statue of Manfredo Fanti	David and the Cathedral in one morning, with a walk through the city centre; the Accademia ticket depends on the option	2.5-3.5 hours	English only	Yes, live	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this
Uffizi, Accademia and gelato with an art historian	Uffizi courtyard, statue of Leonardo	A group of up to 9 people led by an art historian, with an artisanal gelato between one museum and the next	3.5-4 hours	English only	Yes, art historian	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this
Uffizi Gallery in a small group	Near the Uffizi, depending on the language	Those who already have the David and want the Uffizi with a guide	1.5-2 hours	IT, EN, DE, FR, ES, PT	Yes, live	Free up to 24 hours before	Book this

For all options, cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance, depending on the offers. The two Uffizi and Accademia tours by the same operator specify that once museum tickets are issued for the chosen time slot, they are non-refundable. The security check at the entrance applies to all.

What you are really buying

The official skip-the-line already exists. It’s called a reservation.

The museum does not sell a product called skip-the-line. It sells a timed ticket, online or by phone, named and with a reservation fee: those who have one enter through thereserved entrance. Those who arrive without a reservation buy a same-day ticket at the ticket office, without a time slot, and enter through the other door, in order of arrival. The security check, however, is the same for everyone.

On GetYourGuide, therefore, you do not buy a secret fast lane. You buy a timed ticket managed by an agency, to be collected at an office near the museum; anaudio guide; a guide who explains the Prigioni and the Tribuna; or a tour that combines the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi, because there is no single official ticket for both museums. Those who only want the David and have time to organize can book through the museum. Those who want something else choose the service they need.

517 cm

The height of David according to the museum: carved by Michelangelo from 1501 to 1504 from a single block of marble, it has been in the Tribuna of the Accademia since 1873.

DavidPrisonersTribunaHall of the ColossusGold-ground paintingsPlaster cast galleryMusical instruments

The Tribuna by Emilio De Fabris, opened to the public in 1882 to house the David.

01

Book through the museum

Online or by phone at the Firenze Musei call center: named ticket, with time slot and booking fee, reserved entrance.

02

Buy at the ticket office

Same-day ticket, no time slot: enter via the non-reserved entrance, in line. In peak season, the wait is unpredictable.

03

First Sunday free

Free entry for all, but no reservations: that day you must queue and no pre-booked ticket avoids it.

04

With Firenzecard

The card includes the Accademia Gallery, but you still need to book a time slot, by phone or at the indicated ticket offices.

The visit

From the entrance to the David in four steps

With a museum ticket, an audio guide or a guided tour, the route is more or less the same. Here’s how it goes.

01

Pick-up or meeting point

With an agency ticket, you first stop at an office near the museum; with a guided tour, you meet at the meeting point, usually 15 minutes beforehand.

Bring ID

02

Security check

At the Via Ricasoli entrance, everyone goes through security. Bags and backpacks larger than 40 x 30 x 18 cm are not allowed, and the museum has no luggage storage.

Also valid for skip-the-line

03

The Gallery of the Prisoners

The four unfinished figures by Michelangelo, together with the Saint Matthew, line the gallery up to the Tribuna, as if in a marble corridor.

Don’t just look ahead

04

The Tribuna of David

Under the skylight built specially for him, the David can be admired from every angle. Then there are the gold-ground paintings, the Gipsoteca and the musical instruments.

Photos yes, flash no

The gold-ground paintings

The Bartolini Gipsoteca, with rows of busts and plaster models in white

The Gipsoteca

Musical instruments

Via Ricasoli

Piazza della Signoria

Planning your visit

How to organize the visit

Tickets, how to get there, who gets in free and what to bring.

Online: from the museum’s official ticket page, maximum 10 tickets per purchase, with a time slot and reservation fee.
By phone: Firenze Musei call center, +39 055 294883, Monday to Saturday and also Sunday, with reduced hours.
At the ticket office: same-day tickets, without a time slot and with entry from the queue.
Names: reserved tickets bear the visitor’s name; the name can be changed only once, up to 24 hours in advance.

Address: Via Ricasoli 58/60, a short walk from Piazza San Marco.
From the Duomo: about a 7-minute walk, heading north along Via Ricasoli.
From Santa Maria Novella station: about a 15-minute walk.
From the Uffizi: about one kilometre, a 15-minute walk or slightly more.

Under 18s: free entry every day, regardless of nationality; under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.
First Sunday of the month: free for everyone, but without reservation; the same applies on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November.
Reduced: for EU citizens aged 18 to 25.
Accessibility: all open rooms are wheelchair accessible, with a lift; free entry for visitors with disabilities and one companion.

An ID document: pre-booked tickets are non-transferable and some offers require an ID even for minors.
The ticket or booking confirmation, on your phone or printed.
Only a small bag: bags larger than 40 x 30 x 18 cm are not allowed and there is no luggage storage.
A sealed bottle of water is allowed; food and cans are not.

8:15OpeningTuesday to Sunday, until 18:50.

40 minLast entryBefore closing, according to the 2026 regulations.

MondayClosedLike the Uffizi; also closed on 25 December and 1 January.

1784FoundationCommissioned by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo.

1504The DavidUnveiled on 8 September in front of Palazzo Vecchio.

1882The TribunaOpened to the public on 22 July.

On site

In Via Ricasoli

Accademia Gallery in Florence

Via Ricasoli 58/60, 50122 Florence

The entrance is on Via Ricasoli, just steps from Piazza San Marco. Not all offers meet in front of the museum: agency tickets are collected at a nearby office, and some tours that also include the Uffizi depart from the other side of the city centre.

Timed ticket: office at Via degli Alfani 115 R, 10 minutes before the scheduled time
One-hour guided tour: Via Ricasoli 39, a few doors down from the Accademia Gallery
David and Duomo: Piazza San Marco, Manfredo Fanti statue
Tours with the Uffizi: Uffizi area, the exact location is on the voucher

See the tickets

Around the visit

What you need to know

The best time, some tips, what’s nearby and the rules to know.

Early in the morning: the 8:15 slot is the most common advice to find the Tribuna less crowded.
In winter: the colder months are generally quieter; from April to September it is best to book.
The first Sunday: free entry but without reservation, so long queues; better to choose another day if time is limited.
Monday: the museum is closed, like the Uffizi; unless special openings are announced by the museum.

Book as soon as your dates are confirmed, especially for the first morning slot.
Arrive a few minutes early: latecomers may lose their reserved entry.
Leave large suitcases and backpacks at the hotel: there is no luggage storage.
Seeing the Prisoners before the David is the best way to understand how Michelangelo worked.
Those who want to visit the Uffizi and Accademia in one day can do the Accademia in the morning and the Uffizi in the afternoon, or choose a combined tour.

Duomo: about a 7-minute walk; the Cathedral interior is free, the dome and bell tower are not.
Piazza della Signoria: the 1910 marble copy of David, standing where the original was from 1504 to 1873.
Loggia dei Lanzi: Giambologna’s marble Rape of the Sabine Women, whose model is in the Sala del Colosso.
Bargello: part of the same museum group as the Accademia, with combined tickets from 2026.

Photos allowed for personal use, no flash and no tripod; selfie sticks are prohibited.
No formal dress code: only swimwear and bare chests are forbidden.
No food, cans or glass bottles allowed; animals only if guide or assistance dogs.
The offers on this page can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance; for visits including the Uffizi, issued museum tickets are non-refundable.

Travellers’ reviews

What do they

★★★★★
Getting in was very easy. The wait for security checks was the longest part, but entirely manageable. The David is extraordinary.
Jakob · Timed entry ticket for the David

★★★★★
The guide, Gayla, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about everything she showed us.
Kellie · Guided tour of the Accademia Gallery

★★★★★
The ticket pickup office is easy to find. The audio guide was very rich in information.
Amanda · Timed entry with audio guide

★★★★★
Anna was an engaging and highly knowledgeable guide, with a touch of humor.
Susan · Uffizi and Accademia in a small group

★★★★★
Everything was very efficient: in ten minutes we were in the museum, in front of David.
Leah · Timed entry ticket for the David

★★★★★
Laura gave us all the time we needed and knew everything in depth.
Ori · Uffizi and Accademia, private tour

★★★★★
With his humor and comments, it felt less like an art history lesson and more like a wonderful story.
Novie · Guided tour of the Accademia Gallery

★★★★★
An excellent tour: Federico was very knowledgeable and made the morning fun.
Brian · David and Duomo with a guide

★★★★★
Caterina was an extraordinary guide, highly organized and excellent at storytelling.
Mohammed · Uffizi, Accademia and gelato with an art historian

In the afternoon

After the David, the Uffizi

Those who already have a ticket for the Accademia and want to see the Birth of Venus do not need a combined tour: a visit to the Uffizi, about a 15-minute walk away, is enough.

Uffizi Gallery in a small group

Near the Uffizi, according to the language · 1.5-2 hours · GetYourGuide

For those who already have a ticket for David and want to see the Uffizi: a 1.5-hour tour with a guide in a group of up to 15 people, with priority entry and booking fees included according to the offer. The tour covers only the Uffizi, not the Accademia.

Max 15 peoplePriority entryFree cancellation

Duration1.5-2 hoursaccording to the offerBook this

The guide

The Accademia Gallery, explained

Those looking for tickets for the David find two worlds: the museum’s page, basic and sometimes outdated, and a long list of offers all with the same photo of the Tribuna and the words ‘skip the line’ in the title. They all lead to the same statue. What sets them apart is rarely in the title. Here’s how to read them.

A museum born to teach

The Accademia Gallery was founded in 1784, when Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo reorganised the Academy of Fine Arts and added a collection of works for students to learn from. The David arrived almost a century later: sculpted by Michelangelo from 1501 to 1504 and unveiled on 8 September 1504 in front of Palazzo Vecchio, it remained in the square until 1873, when it was moved here on a wooden cart to protect it from the elements. For nine years it stayed in a crate until the Tribuna designed by Emilio De Fabris opened to the public on 22 July 1882. Today the museum is part of a group with the Bargello and other sites, not the Uffizi, and in 2023 it exceeded two million visitors.

Not just the David

Before the Tribuna is the gallery of the Prigioni, four figures intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II and left unfinished, along with the Saint Matthew: the raw marble reveals the chisel marks and how Michelangelo freed the figure from the block. In the Sala del Colosso is the full-scale model of Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women, whose marble version stands under the Loggia dei Lanzi. Then there are the gold-ground altarpieces from the 14th and 15th centuries, the Bartolini Gipsoteca with its plaster casts and the Department of Musical Instruments, home to instruments by Stradivari and the oval spinet built by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1690. Not a piano, as is sometimes claimed: the surviving Cristofori pianos are in New York, Rome and Leipzig.

The small truth about skip the line: no ticket bypasses the security check. What a pre-booked ticket avoids is the queue for those buying at the ticket office. On the first Sunday of the month entry is free but reservations are not available, so that day you have to queue regardless.

Book through the museum or GetYourGuide

The official ticket can be booked online or by phone, is non-transferable and includes a reservation fee: for those who only want to see David, this is the most direct route. The offers on this page add a service. The timed ticket from the agency is collected at an office near the museum and may include a smartphone audioguide; the entry with audioguide provides commentary in nine languages; the guided tour lasts one hour and departs a few doors from the museum. Combined visits with the Uffizi are the only way to book both museums with a single reservation, as an official combined ticket does not exist: the Firenzecard covers both, but at the Accademia the time slot must be booked.

Which option, for those who

Those with fixed dates who only want to see the David can book directly through the museum, or choose a timed ticket if they prefer to manage everything in a single app. Those who want to understand what they’re seeing without spending half a day on it can opt for a one-hour guided tour. Travellers with family who want to go at their own pace can choose a private tour, which also includes the Uffizi and starts there. And those with just one day in Florence who want to visit the two most famous museums can take a combined tour, in a small group or with an art historian. How the official booking works, step by step, is explained in our ticket guide.

See the tickets

FAQ

Questions before the visit

Clear answers to the most frequent questions about the Accademia Gallery.

Do you need to buy Accademia tickets in advance?

It is not mandatory, but it is recommended, especially from April to September, on weekends and public holidays. A reserved ticket has a time slot and uses the priority entrance; those who buy at the ticket office enter through the non-reserved entrance, in the queue. How to book, step by step.

Where can you buy tickets for the Accademia Gallery?

The official channels are three: online via the museum’s ticket page, by phone through the Firenze Musei call centre (+39 055 294883) and at the on-site ticket offices. Reserved tickets are non-transferable and include a booking fee. On GetYourGuide you can find tickets managed by agencies, with audioguide or with a guide.

Can you buy tickets at the ticket office on the day?

Yes. The ticket offices sell same-day tickets, but without a time slot: you enter via the non-reserved entrance, in order of arrival. In peak season, the wait time is hard to predict.

Is there a real skip-the-line ticket for the Accademia Gallery?

There is no official product called skip-the-line. The official timed ticket already uses the reserved entrance, and this is what offers call skip-the-line. Security checks remain for everyone. What you’re really buying.

Is the Accademia Gallery free?

Yes for those under 18, every day and regardless of nationality. For everyone it is free on the first Sunday of the month and on national holidays: 25 April, 2 June and 4 November; on those days, however, it is not possible to book and you have to queue.

How much time do you need to visit the Accademia Gallery?

There is no official figure; guides usually suggest about one hour, from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Those who want to take their time seeing the musical instruments and the Gipsoteca should allow more time. What not to miss.

Can you visit the Uffizi and the Accademia on the same day?

Yes: the museums are about one kilometre apart, a 15-minute walk. There is no official combined ticket, so you need two separate reservations, or a combined tour that includes both. Both museums are closed on Mondays. Uffizi or Accademia.

Can you see David without a ticket?

No, the original is not: it has been in the Accademia Gallery’s Tribuna since 1873. Two free copies can be seen: the marble one in Piazza della Signoria (1910) and the bronze one at Piazzale Michelangelo (1875). Why there are three Davids in Florence.

Is there a dress code for the Accademia Gallery?

There is no formal dress code: according to the visitor regulations, only swimwear and bare chests are prohibited. Shorts are allowed. Stricter rules apply to the Cathedral, if the tour includes it.

Can I bring bags and backpacks?

Only small ones: bags and backpacks larger than 40 x 30 x 18 cm are not allowed, and the museum states it has no cloakroom for large luggage. Best to leave suitcases and backpacks at the hotel. Opening hours and rules.

Can I take photos of David?

Yes, for personal use, without flash and without a tripod. Selfie sticks are prohibited by the visitor regulations.

Accademia Gallery: tickets and tours

Choose your entry to the David

Guided tour of the Accademia with entry

Timed entry ticket for David

Timed entry with audio guide

Four ways to see more

Uffizi and Accademia in a small group

Uffizi and Accademia, private tour

David and Duomo with a guide

Uffizi, Accademia and gelato with an art historian

What each option includes

The official skip-the-line already exists. It’s called a reservation.

Book through the museum

Buy at the ticket office

First Sunday free

With Firenzecard

From the entrance to the David in four steps

Pick-up or meeting point

Security check

The Gallery of the Prisoners

The Tribuna of David

How to organize the visit

In Via Ricasoli

Accademia Gallery in Florence

What you need to know

First the Prigioni, then the giant.

What do they

After the David, the Uffizi

Uffizi Gallery in a small group

The Accademia Gallery, explained

A museum born to teach

Not just the David

Book through the museum or GetYourGuide

Which option, for those who

Arrive prepared

Questions before the visit

Five metres of marble, at a set time.