What are the Accademia Gallery's opening hours?

What time is last entry at the Accademia?

6.10 p.m. That is the time on the museum’s visit page. The tickets page gives a general rule of 30 minutes before closing, which would mean 6.20, so don’t cut it fine and aim to be at the door by 6.10.

Here’s how the end of the day works:

In practice, a slot after about 5.30 p.m. leaves you little time. If you want the first floor and the instruments as well as David, enter by 5.30.

Is the Accademia open on Mondays?

Normally no. This winter there is one exception.

Monday 30 November 2026: the evening David opening

For the Festa della Toscana, Tuscany’s regional day, the Ministry of Culture lists the Accademia as open from 5.15 to 9 p.m. on Monday 30 November 2026. The Medici Chapels, the Bargello, Orsanmichele and Palazzo Davanzati open at the same times. The evening opening closes the group’s 2026 programme of special openings, and it is a rare chance to see David in the evening on a day when Florence’s other state museums are shut. The date is not yet on the museum’s own visit page, so check there for tickets and booking before you plan around it.

Other Monday openings

The Accademia opened on Easter Monday, 6 April 2026, and in recent winters it has also opened on some holiday Mondays, each announced shortly before. For 2026–27, no Monday holiday openings have been announced yet.

For what else is open in Florence on a Monday, see our guide to the best Florence museums for a rainy day.

Is the Accademia open over Christmas and New Year 2026–27?

Yes, except on 25 December and 1 January. The museum usually publishes its festive arrangements in early December. This calendar combines the official closures with the regular schedule and recent years.

Key: Official means the date is on the museum’s or the Ministry of Culture’s site; Expected follows the regular schedule; Not announced means nothing is published yet.

We update this table when the Accademia publishes its 2026–27 holiday notice.

What happens at the Accademia on strike days?

On national strike days the Accademia and its sister museums can open for the morning only, or change their hours at short notice.

The museum posts strike notices on its news page, sometimes only the day before. If your visit falls on an announced strike date, book a morning slot and check the news page the evening before. Official tickets cannot be refunded, so a morning slot is your best protection.

When is the best time to visit the Accademia in winter?

At 8.15 a.m., or in the last hour before 6.10 p.m., on a weekday between mid-November and February.

Winter is the Accademia’s quietest season, but it is never empty, because it is one of the most visited museums in Italy.

Can you just turn up? The ticket office sells same-day tickets, but the wait can be long. On winter weekdays walk-up entry is often realistic; at weekends and over the holidays, book a timed ticket. How to book, and what each kind of ticket includes, is in our Accademia tickets guide.

The museum doesn’t publish hourly crowd data, so these times come from visitor reports.

Accademia Gallery map: what’s where?

The Accademia is compact. Almost everything is on the ground floor, and you reach David at the end of the Gallery of the Prisoners. The toilets are only at the end of the route, so go before you enter.

A downloadable official map is on the museum’s visit page.

A 90-minute winter route

1. Hall of the Colossus (5 minutes)
2. The Prisoners (10 minutes). Watch the figures struggling out of the stone.
3. David, first look (15 minutes)
4. Gipsoteca (10 minutes). One of Florence’s most photogenic rooms.
5. Trecento gold grounds (10 minutes)
6. Musical Instruments (10 minutes), before 6.40 p.m.
7. First floor (10 minutes), before 6.40 p.m.
8. The temporary exhibition (15 minutes, from 15 December)
9. David, second look (5 minutes). The crowd will have shifted.

If you would rather hear the stories than read the labels, our comparison of Accademia tours covers the one-hour guided visits and the alternatives.

How do you photograph David with fewer people?

Go at 8.15 a.m. or in the last 40 minutes before last admission, and shoot from the sides and back of the Tribune. Most visitors bunch at the front, where the Gallery of the Prisoners opens onto the statue.

• Non-flash photos for personal use are generally allowed; flash, tripods and selfie sticks are not. Check the museum’s current rules before your visit.
• The light changes through the day. The Tribune was built in the 1870s under a glass vault to light David from above, and electric lighting now supplements the daylight.
• In winter the days are short, so midday gives you the most daylight through the skylight. A December late afternoon is mostly artificial light, still lovely and far quieter.

Which nearby museums are open, and when?

The Bargello group’s museums keep their own closing days, so check the official site at bargellomusei.it for your date; some third-party sites still show older hours.

A winter combination: San Marco in the morning (it closes at 1.50 p.m.), lunch near the Mercato Centrale, then a late-afternoon Accademia slot for the quietest hour. If you want the Uffizi too, our guide to Uffizi and Accademia in one day fits both galleries into one day, and the Uffizi opening hours are on their own page.

What’s on at the Accademia this winter?

• L’anima dei marmi: Michelangelo e le visioni del Simbolismo (15 December 2026 to 2 May 2027). Around 50 works on how Symbolist artists, Rodin among them, saw Michelangelo. The press has reported a small ticket surcharge; check the official site for confirmation.
• Two restored panels by the Master of 1416 on the first floor, until 14 March 2027, included in your ticket.

Winter rules that catch visitors out

The Accademia’s visitor regulation, adopted in July 2026, matters more in winter:

Frequently asked questions

What are the Accademia Gallery’s opening hours?

Tuesday to Sunday, 8.15 a.m. to 6.50 p.m., all year. It is closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January.

What time is last entry at the Accademia?

6.10 p.m. The tickets page gives a rule of 30 minutes before closing, which would be 6.20, so plan for 6.10.

Is the Accademia open on Mondays?

Normally no. This winter the Ministry of Culture lists a special evening opening on Monday 30 November 2026, from 5.15 to 9 p.m.; check the museum’s site before you go.

Is the Accademia open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day?

No. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January. It is expected to open with normal hours on 26 December and 6 January.

Is the Accademia open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve?

It is expected to open, though early closing is possible. Check the museum’s festive notice, usually published in early December.

Is the Accademia open on Easter Monday 2027?

It has not been announced. The Accademia opened on Easter Monday in 2026.

When is the Accademia free?

In 2026, on the first Sunday of every month and on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November; the last free day this year is Sunday 6 December. The museum lists the first-Sunday rule for 2026 only, so the 2027 dates (3 January, 7 February, 7 March) are expected rather than confirmed. You cannot book on free days, so expect queues.

What happens at the Accademia on a strike day?

Strike days can mean morning-only opening or changed hours. Notices appear on the museum’s news page, sometimes only the day before, so book a morning slot on an announced strike date.

How long do you need at the Accademia?

About 60 to 90 minutes. Allow up to two hours with the winter exhibition.

Can I bring an umbrella or backpack into the Accademia?

A compact folding umbrella, yes. Large backpacks and bags over about 40 × 30 × 18 cm are refused, and there is no cloakroom.

Can I take photos of David?

Yes, for personal use, without flash, tripods or selfie sticks.

Is there a map of the Accademia?

Yes. The museum’s visit page has a downloadable map, and the room-by-room table above follows the route.

Is the Accademia worth visiting in winter?

Yes. It is the quietest season, and this winter adds a new Michelangelo exhibition and a rare Monday evening opening.

Related reading

• Accademia Gallery tickets: rules, prices and how to book
• Accademia tours compared
• Uffizi and Accademia in one day
• Uffizi opening hours and free days
• Florence’s best rainy-day museums

Know your date? Book direct through the Accademia’s official channel, or compare timed tickets and the guided hour on our Accademia David tickets page.