A walk through history: the top 7 museums in Florence

Florence is one of the main homes of art, as it houses some of the most important masterpieces from the Renaissance period (1500-1700). The reason for this is partially due to wealthy families like the Medici that supported art and artists from the Renaissance, bringing a significant change to Western art. But paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance are not all you’re going to find in Florentine museums.

The city of Florence is, in fact, filled with Egyptian Museums, collections of the Medici’s Jewelry, Fashion Museums and many more.

Discover in our article the best museums in Florence and book a tour of Florence with us to admire the wonders of this city!

Top 7 Museums in Florence

It's really hard to lay down a list of must-see galleries during your trip. Luckily we’re here to help… Here's a list of the top 7 museums in Florence!

1. GALLERIA DEGLI UFFIZI
   The Uffizi Gallery is a world-class art museum that, with its 93 rooms, will take you on a journey back in time. It is mainly known for housing the biggest collection of Renaissance art, but it actually houses masterpieces going from Ancient Greece to the 18th century.
   
   It may come as a surprise that this building was not always a museum; it was originally built by the Medici family for their offices. The word “uffizi” is, in fact, really similar to the Italian word “uffici”, which means “offices”. Since the Medici family loved art, they chose to decorate their own offices with it, progressively leading to the building becoming a museum.
   
   Here are some of the masterpieces that you can’t miss at the Uffizi Gallery:
   
   - Birth of Venus by Botticelli
   - Spring by Botticelli
   - Medusa by Caravaggio
   - Madonna of the Goldfinch by Raphael
   
   
2. GALLERIA DELL’ACCADEMIA
   Located in via Ricasoli, the Accademia Gallery, is one of the most important museums in Florence, housing 7 sculptures by Michelangelo, the highest number in the world! Among these Michelangelo sculptures, you can also find the infamous David!
   
   This museum also houses some of the most important Renaissance paintings and one of the biggest collections of gold background paintings.
   
   Let’s go over some art pieces that you can’t miss in the Accademia Gallery:
   
   - Michelangelo’s David
   - Pacino di Buonaguida’s Tree of Life
   - Jean de Boulogne’s Rape of the Sabines
   - Michelangelo’s Prisoners
   
   
3. PALAZZO PITTI
   The Pitti Palace is located near Ponte Vecchio and it’s another quite important Renaissance-centered museum.
   It originally was a royal palace bought by the Medici family as a residence but it was later on turned into a museum. Despite this change, visiting Palazzo Pitti still feels like walking into a grand house’s private collection!
   Here are some of the most important works of art that you can find in Palazzo Pitti:
   
   - The Portraits of Agnolo and Maddalena Doni by Raphael
   - Sleeping Cupid by Caravaggio
   - La Donna Velata by Raphael
   - The Three Ages by Giorgione
   
   
4. MUSEO DELL’OPERA
   The 28 rooms of the Opera Del Duomo Museum create an incredible setting filled with magnificent works of art from the Renaissance. It’s the perfect place to understand the history behind the masterpieces it houses and it’s located just behind the cathedral of Piazza Duomo.
   
   Here’s a list of things you can’t miss while visiting Museo Dell’Opera:
   
   - Maddalena Penitente by Donatello
   - Porta del Paradiso by Lorenzo Ghiberti
   - Pietà Bandini by Michelangelo
   - Cristo Benedicente by Tino di Camaino
   
   
5. MUSEO NAZIONALE DEL BARGELLO
   Located in the former Palazzo del Podestà, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello is the first Italian National Museum created to honor the art of the Middle Age and the Renaissance. It’s filled with works of art of all kinds, going from sculptures to medals, bronzes, waxes, rugs and fabric, some of which belonged to the Medici family.
   
   Let’s explore some art pieces that you can’t miss while visiting the Museo Nazionale del Bargello:
   
   - The Bronze David by Donatello
   - Bacchus by Michelangelo
   - Pitti Tondo by Michelangelo
   - Saint George in a Niche by Donatello;
   
   
6. LEONARDO DA VINCI MUSEUM
   Located in the heart of Florence, the Leonardo da Vinci Museum is a particular exhibition in honor of the genius Leonardo Da Vinci.
   
   It consists of the amazing work, made by the staff of WMA, which recreated wood models of interactive machines designed by Da Vinci. It’s like walking into his journal!
   
   
7. PALAZZO VECCHIO
   Palazzo Vecchio is an architectural historical masterpiece that used to be the seat of government in Florence and was later on turned into an art museum.
   It’s nowadays filled with many stuccoes and frescoes as well as works of art by Donatello, Michelangelo and Verrocchio. It’s also possible to visit the rooms where Giorgio Vasari, Bronzino, Ghirlandaio and many more worked.

CONCLUSION: So, if you’re planning your trip to Florence, adding these 7 museums to the list of things to see, will surely make it possible for you to explore and experience the beauty and history of this amazing city!