10 Best Museums in Florence

The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) is one of Europe’s largest art museums and is arranged by period to showcase the ways the Renaissance changed our perception of the world. The artwork progresses chronologically from Byzantine portraits of saints and biblical figures to more realistic human portrayals including portraits, landscapes, allegories and many other styles. In addition, the museum showcases several contemporary artists to juxtapose their styles against the classical masters. Among the highlights of this collection is Botticelli’s 'Birth of Venus'.

As this museum is very popular, tickets are timed, or you can book a guided tour that showcases the highlights with facts from an expert guide. It’s in the heart of the city centre.

The Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia) houses an amazing collection of works by the famed Renaissance master Michelangelo and is filled with 13th- to 16th-century masterworks from other famed artists. Among the greatest masterpieces here is the original David sculpture. This museum was founded as a school for artists in 1784, so it’s appropriate that it hosts such an important collection today. Other masterworks here are several unfinished sculptures by Michelangelo, including some planned for the tomb of Pope Julius II, and an unfinished sculpture of St Matthew.

Other highlights include the Adimari Chest, one of Botticelli’s Madonnas and di Bonaguida’s 'Tree of Life' crucifixion scene. It’s in the city centre, and guided tours are available.

Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti) was once one of the homes of the Medici family and now hosts over 500 Renaissance paintings plus hundreds of other artefacts and artworks. It was built in 1457 and designed by the famed architect Brunelleschi. It features a mazelike collection of wings and galleries to explore, as well as the formal Boboli Gardens in the back. Here you’ll find a silver museum, modern artworks, the original Royal Apartments with their authentic period furnishings and more.

This palace is so much more than a museum; it’s truly a walk back through time to the mid-15th century and features one of the most controversial royal families in history.

Vecchio Palace (Palazzo Vecchio) was once the seat of the Florence government and today is an art museum housed in a historic building with stunning architecture and design. Built by Arnolfo di Cambio, this city centre building is striking. Its courtyard is filled with stuccos and public art including a replica of Michelangelo’s David. The 1st-floor Salone dei Cinquecento features decor by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

On the 2nd floor, the private rooms of the Medici court can be found, which are still lavishly furnished in period style. Also on this floor is Donatello’s Judith and Holofernes. The cap of the building is the 95-metre-high Tower of Palazzo Vecchio, which offers staggering panoramic views.

The Leonardo Da Vinci Museum (Museo Leonardo Da Vinci) is a unique museum dedicated to the art and invention of the great Renaissance master with hands-on exhibits. This museum is a great place to take the kids as it offers an array of more than 40 of the artist’s innovations and creations brought to life and physically built as prototypes. Some you can even try out for yourself to see if they would work.

Another room is dedicated to Da Vinci’s paintings, and still another area offers interactive science and technology workshops for adults and children alike. This quirky and unique museum looks at the history of science differently. It’s right in the city centre.

The Basilica of St Lawrence (Basilica di San Lorenzo) is home to the Medici Chapels, the museum complex of this vast Gothic church in the heart of Florence. Other attractions in this vast complex include Brunelleschi’s Old Sacristy, the Laurentian Library and the Medici Crypt. This church also features a stunning collection of Renaissance artwork, including one of the largest collections of Michelangelo sculptures anywhere. This site, and particularly the Laurentian Library and Medici Chapels, are part of the famed Michelangelo Trail.

Important artworks here include the tomb of Cosimo the Elder, the Donatello Pulpits, Bronzino’s Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, the tomb of Giuliano de Medici and the crypt of San Lorenzo. The basilica is in the city centre.

The Museum of Opera of Saint Maria of Fiore (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo di Firenze), also called the Cathedral Museum, showcases priceless works of art donated to the city. Among the masterworks held here are early 15th-century marble galleries created by Donatello and Luca della Robbia, Donatello’s St. John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene, a silver altar, stunning silk and gold needlework pieces, and the last Pietà created by Michelangelo.

Other masterworks here include the bronze door panels of Ghiberti, brought in to protect them. This is also a functioning cathedral in the heart of the city centre with plenty of architecture and art to explore in its own right. It’s asked that you be respectful during services.

Strozzi Palace (Palazzo Strozzi) in the heart of the city showcases contemporary and travelling international art exhibits by some of the hottest up-and-coming artists. This historic building has hosted such names as Ai Weiwei and Marina Abramovic. Because it’s focused on contemporary art, it tends to draw fewer crowds, but it brings in connoisseurs who really know their artwork.

It’s a cultural institution and part of the heart and soul of the local arts community, which, in addition to multimedia works by famed artists, hosts concerts, workshops, talks, events and theatrical performances. Here you’ll get the chance to experience everything from sculptures and media to performance art, chamber music and lectures by art experts.

Riccardi Medici Palace (Palazzo Medici Riccardi) is a historic palazzo that once housed the Medici family who built up Florence into the cultural icon it is today. Though you’ll see the Medici family crest and find its influences all over Florence, this is one of the few buildings where they actually lived. It has seen many renovations throughout the years, but it still stands from its construction in 1444 in its original splendour.

Here you can see a stunning small chapel that is brilliantly frescoed to feature the Procession of the Magi. Another highlight is the galleria, decked out in gilded gold with mirrors that create a sense of reflecting infinity. This splendid palace is in the city centre.

The Bargello National Museum (Museo Nazionale del Bargello) houses important works by Tuscan artists between the 14th and 16th centuries, including the Della Robbia, Michelangelo and Donatello. The rooms just off the courtyard hold 4 masterpieces by Michelangelo including a marble Brutus, David-Apollo, the Madonna and Child with Young Saint John the Baptist and the Drunken Bacchus, his 1st large sculpture. At the top, the 14th-century hall showcases Donatello's work including St George, 2 different David sculptures and St John as a child.

Other features here include marble galleries, enamels and gold work, majolica works, glazed terra cotta and an unparalleled focus on decorative and 3-dimensional art. It’s all directly in the heart of the city centre.