# Galleria dell'Accademia and Michelangelo's David, Florence > The Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence holds Michelangelo's original David, the five-metre marble statue of 1501–1504. Alongside are his unfinished Prisoners, a hall of plaster models and a musical instruments collection. Entry is paid — book a time slot ahead — and it's closed on Mondays. Allow 1–1.5 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/galleria-dell-accademia - City: [Florence](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence), Italy - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Paid, timed booking online - Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday, closed Monday - Highlights: David, the Prisoners, the Gipsoteca - David's height: ≈ 5.17 m - Time needed: 1–1.5 hours - Location: Via Ricasoli, 7 minutes from the Duomo - Coordinates: 43.77694, 11.25889 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1501–1504** — Michelangelo carved David (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 5.17 m** — height of the statue (source: English Wikipedia) - **1873** — moved from Piazza della Signoria to the Accademia (source: English Wikipedia) - **1910** — a marble copy went up on the piazza (source: English Wikipedia) - **Prisoners** — Michelangelo's unfinished figures before the tribune (source: English Wikipedia) ## The story of David In **1501** the 26-year-old **Michelangelo** was given a huge block of Carrara marble that earlier sculptors had spoiled and that had lain in the cathedral yard for decades. By **1504** he had carved **David** — the young biblical hero preparing to face Goliath — a figure over five metres tall that became the emblem of the free Florentine Republic — a small, brave city facing mighty rivals. David stood outside the Palazzo Vecchio on **Piazza della Signoria** for more than three centuries. To protect the marble from the weather it was moved in **1873** to the Accademia, into a purpose-built **tribune** under a glass dome; since **1910** a marble **copy** has stood on the square. ## What makes David special Michelangelo shows not the victory but the moment **before the fight**: David is calm, tense and focused, eyes on his foe, sling over his shoulder. The statue was made to be seen from below — the head and hands are slightly oversized so the figure looks right from the ground. In person it's far more powerful than in photos, with veins and muscles finely carved; walk all the way round, as it changes from every angle. Step back to the end of the tribune to meet David's gaze; the crowd round the barrier changes every few minutes. ## What else is in the gallery On the way to David you pass the **Hall of the Prisoners**: four unfinished Michelangelo figures intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II, bodies seeming to struggle out of the stone and showing how he worked with the chisel, alongside an unfinished St Matthew. There's also the **Gipsoteca**, a hall crowded with 19th-century plaster models still marked with pointing studs, rooms of **Florentine gold-ground painting** from the 13th to 16th centuries, and a **Musical Instruments Museum** with a Stradivarius and early pianos by Bartolomeo Cristofori, the instrument's inventor. ## What to see - **David** — in the tribune under the glass dome. - **The Prisoners** — Michelangelo's unfinished figures. - **St Matthew** — another unfinished statue. - **The Gipsoteca** — 19th-century plaster models. - **Gold-ground painting** — 13th to 16th century. - **Musical instruments** — a Stradivarius and the first pianos. > **Skipping the queue** The walk-up queue on Via Ricasoli can last hours. Book a time slot on the official museum site in advance, ideally right at opening or near closing, when groups are fewer. It's closed on Mondays; the first Sunday of the month is usually free but even busier. ## How to get there 1. From [Florence Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-cathedral), 7 minutes along Via Ricasoli. 2. From Santa Maria Novella station, 15 minutes on foot. 3. From [Piazza della Signoria](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria), home of the copy, 12 minutes. 4. Nearby: the [Basilica of San Lorenzo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/san-lorenzo) and Palazzo Medici Riccardi. ## Is the Accademia worth it? Yes — seeing the real David is a once-in-a-lifetime experience no copy can replace. The museum is compact, and an hour covers the essentials; just book ahead so you don't lose half a day queuing. Tell children the story of David and Goliath first and the statue becomes a fairytale hero. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a time slot on the museum site - [ ] Check it isn't a Monday - [ ] Go at opening or in the evening - [ ] Walk all the way round David - [ ] See the Prisoners on the way in ## Florence's museums: compare and choose Museums and galleries in Florence rated by YesGo. - [Palazzo Vecchio](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-vecchio) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Courtyard free, museum paid - [Uffizi Gallery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/uffizi) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Paid - [Santa Croce](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santa-croce) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Paid - [Palazzo Pitti](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-pitti) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid - [Santa Maria Novella](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santa-maria-novella) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Vasari Corridor](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/vasari-corridor) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid, timed entry - [Palazzo Medici Riccardi](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-medici-riccardi) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Orsanmichele](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/orsanmichele) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Laurentian Library](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/laurentian-library) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Paid - [Galleria dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/galleria-dell-accademia) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid - [Medici Chapels](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/medici-chapels) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Brancacci Chapel](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/brancacci-chapel) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Paid, timed entry - [Bargello](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/bargello) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid - [Palazzo Strozzi](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-strozzi) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Courtyard free, exhibitions paid - [Museo Galileo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/museo-galileo) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid ## Michelangelo in Florence The Accademia and David, the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapels and the David copy on Piazza della Signoria. 1. [Galleria dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/galleria-dell-accademia) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid 2. [Basilica of San Lorenzo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/san-lorenzo) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Paid 3. [Medici Chapels](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/medici-chapels) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid 4. [Piazza della Signoria](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free ## Don't mix it up The original David is only in the Accademia; the ones by the Palazzo Vecchio and on Piazzale Michelangelo are copies. And this isn't Venice's Gallerie dell'Accademia — a separate museum. ## Tips - Book a time slot. - Closed on Mondays. - Fewer crowds early or late. - The piazza statue is a copy. ## Questions ### Where is the original David? In the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence, on Via Ricasoli. ### How tall is David? About 5.17 m. ### When is the Accademia closed? On Mondays. ### Do I need to book? It's strongly advised — without a booking the queue can take hours. ### Why is there a David on Piazza della Signoria too? The original moved to the Accademia in 1873; a copy has stood on the square since 1910. ## How we checked History and collection from English Wikipedia. Prices and hours weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia, Galleria dell'Accademia; David (Michelangelo) - Official site galleriaaccademiafirenze.it --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.