Museums in Florence: 15 Must-See Museums You’ll Love

Florence Museums with a City Pass

If you want to visit a lot of museums in Florence, it’s worth taking a close look at the city passes available.

Firenze Card

The Firenze Card is the official museum pass of the city and costs 85 euros.

With it, you get free admission with fast-track entry to 58 museums in Florence.

Almost all of the museums in Florence that we cover here are included in the Firenze Card. Just keep in mind that the card is only valid for 72 hours from your first museum entry.

The Firenze Card is really worth it if you want to visit as many Florentine museums as possible within those three days and do virtually nothing else.

Get the Firenze Card

Florence Turbopass

The Florence Turbopass is available for one, two, or three days. For it to really pay off, though, you should go for the three-day version at around 85 euros.

Compared to the Firenze Card, the Turbopass includes fewer museums, but makes up for it with other activities — like day trips to the surrounding area. The Uffizi and the Accademia are both included.

So the Turbopass is the better pick if you don’t want to do a pure museum marathon over those three days.

Get the Florence Turbopass

Art Museums in Florence

If you love art, Florence is the perfect destination for you. Here you’ll find some of the oldest and most famous art collections in the world, housed in the most significant museums in all of Italy.

The Uffizi

If you’re in Florence, a visit to the Uffizi is non-negotiable. The Uffizi Gallery is not only the leading art gallery in Italy, but also one of the most renowned in the entire world.

In the gallery, you’ll find breathtaking Renaissance masterpieces from the 13th to the 18th century spread across more than 50 rooms — works by Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci, among others.

Our tip: The Uffizi is one of the most visited museums in the world, so we strongly recommend booking a timed-entry ticket online in advance to skip the long lines at the ticket office.

Book your Uffizi ticket with priority entry

Galleria dell'Accademia

Alongside the Uffizi, the Galleria dell’Accademia is one of the most visited museums in Florence — and one of the most famous in the world.

The Galleria dell’Accademia was the first academy of painting in Europe, hence its name. Today it’s a museum dedicated, among other things, to Michelangelo. The undisputed star of the show is the famous David statue by Michelangelo, which you can admire right inside the museum.

Many visitors come solely for the statue, but there’s so much more to see here. The Accademia also houses an impressive collection of Florentine art, plus sculptures and paintings from the 13th to the 19th century.

Just like the Uffizi, you should absolutely buy your ticket in advance — the museum is just as popular, and without a reservation you could easily spend half the day in line.

Book your Galleria dell’Accademia ticket with priority entry

Bargello National Museum

What the Uffizi is for painting lovers, the Bargello National Museum is for sculpture enthusiasts. Here you’ll discover a wealth of important Renaissance sculptures, including works by Donatello, Michelangelo, and Cellini.

The National Museum has been housed in the Palazzo Bargello — one of the oldest buildings in Florence — since 1865.

What many people don’t know: the palazzo was formerly a prison, a police headquarters, and a place of execution. Today it’s home to one of the most important sculpture collections in the world. Pretty remarkable, right?

Over the years, the museum has grown to include wax figures, furniture, and textiles from the Medici collection and from private donors.

Book your reserved ticket for the Bargello National Museum

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum)

The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo is one of the most fascinating museums in all of Italy. It stands right next to one of the most famous churches in the world: the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

The museum mainly displays original artworks from the cathedral — including statues by Michelangelo, the world-famous golden Gates of Paradise, and the silver altar of the Baptistery.

On the second floor, you’ll learn how Brunelleschi built the world-famous dome of Florence’s cathedral and can marvel at some of his engineering machines.

There are various combination tickets available for the Cathedral Museum. The most affordable is the Ghiberti Pass for 15 euros, which covers admission to the museum, the Baptistery, and the crypt.

If you want to see everything around the Florence Cathedral, the Brunelleschi Pass for 45 euros is worth it — it also gets you into the cathedral dome and the bell tower.

Palazzo Strozzi

The Palazzo Strozzi was once the grand private residence of the Strozzi family and is considered one of the finest Renaissance palaces in Italy. Today it’s an important exhibition venue with a regular program of special events.

Alongside a permanent exhibition on the history of the palace, you’ll find rotating shows of Italian and international art. Head down to the basement for some seriously good contemporary art.

And it’s not just about the exhibitions — the National Institute for Renaissance Studies is also based here, so research and culture go hand in hand.

Book your Palazzo Strozzi ticket

Casa Buonarroti

You can find works by Michelangelo in various museums in Florence — the Uffizi, the Bargello, and beyond. But if that’s not enough, you should definitely visit the Casa Buonarroti, a museum entirely dedicated to the famous artist.

The museum is located in the former palazzo of Michelangelo’s family, who bore the surname Buonarroti. The palace was built near the end of Michelangelo’s life, when he was already living in Rome — he himself never actually lived there.

The palazzo houses the family’s art collection, featuring original drawings by Michelangelo, sculptures, and archaeological finds.

Our tip: The Casa Buonarroti also contains a library with 11,000 books, including some rarities from the 16th century. But it’s not just bookworms who’ll love it — photography enthusiasts will be in their element too: the museum holds a photo archive with 10,000 photographs of works by Michelangelo and other artists.

Historical Museums in Florence

Florence is also the perfect destination if you’re into history. What makes the historical museums here particularly special is that art exhibitions are often woven in as well — so you get the best of both worlds at once.

Palazzo Vecchio

The Palazzo Vecchio is the historic town hall of Florence. As one of the most famous landmarks in Florence, it’s on virtually every visitor’s list.

Part of the palazzo functions as a museum today, bringing works by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo together under one roof. You can even climb the palace’s bell tower — the panorama over Florence from up there is seriously stunning, and you can read more about it in our guide to the best viewpoints in Florence.

The Palazzo Vecchio is also a fantastic stop if you’re traveling to Florence with kids — some of the rooms feature a program specifically tailored to families with children.
Our tip: The Palazzo Vecchio is one of Florence’s most popular attractions, and lines can easily stretch to two hours. Book your ticket online in advance — it saves you the wait and even includes a video guide.

Book your Palazzo Vecchio ticket — skip the line

Casa di Dante

Have you always wanted to see how one of the most celebrated poets in history actually lived? Then make sure to add the Casa di Dante to your Florence itinerary.

The birthplace of the poet Dante brings key moments from his life — and from Florence as it was in his time — vividly to life.

The museum is small, but there’s still plenty of interesting things to discover. Above all, true Dante fans will absolutely love it here.

Palazzo Medici Riccardi

The Palazzo Medici Riccardi is a former residence of the Medici. Today the palazzo is a museum where you can learn everything about the lifestyle of this powerful merchant family.

You really get a sense of just how opulently the Medici lived: the former living quarters of the Riccardi family are still part of the museum, and the beautifully designed courtyard is a highlight in its own right.

The palazzo also hosts rotating exhibitions dedicated to the most important figures in modern and contemporary art.

Museo degli Innocenti

The Museo degli Innocenti is a truly special place. A former foundling home, it was the first institution in Europe exclusively dedicated to the care of children.

Today, the museum tells the story of foundlings, baby hatches, and surrogate mothers since the Renaissance. You can also explore an art collection and magnificent courtyards designed by Filippo Brunelleschi — so this is one spot where history, art, and architecture genuinely come together.

Part of the museum is also a children’s museum where kids can play and learn. So if you’re visiting Florence with children, it’s well worth a stop.

Palazzo Pitti

At the Palazzo Pitti, you can visit several museums in one go. The standout is the Galleria Palatina, with a vast painting collection that was once the private gallery of the Medici family — it showcases European artists from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

Also hugely popular is the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, where you can view modern art.

And if that’s still not enough, there’s also a silver museum, a porcelain museum, a costume museum, a museum of Russian icons, and the former royal apartments. The famous Boboli Garden is part of the complex too. You could honestly spend an entire day here!

Our tip: Every museum at the Palazzo Pitti is seriously worth seeing. If you want to visit as many as possible, plan plenty of time. The Galleria Palatina alone contains over 500 important paintings — even seeing just the highlights will take you several hours.

Book your Palazzo Pitti ticket with priority entry

Science Museums in Florence

If you love diving into the world of science, make sure to add these two fascinating Florence museums on the history of science to your list.

Museo Galileo

The top science museum in Florence is the Museo Galileo — a tribute to the Florentine scientist and astronomer Galileo Galilei and to the broader history of science.

There are 18 modern themed rooms in total, covering all aspects of the natural sciences. The museum also holds one of the largest collections of scientific instruments in the world, spanning five centuries.

Especially exciting: you can actually try out some of the instruments Galileo invented himself — including his telescopes.

Book your Museo Galileo ticket

Leonardo Interactive Museum

Want to not just learn about science, but actually experience it hands-on? Then the Leonardo Interactive Museum is for you.

The museum features multimedia presentations about the extraordinary life and work of the artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci.

And “Interactive” really does mean what it says here. You can explore scale replicas of Leonardo’s greatest inventions and even try out some of the machines yourself. There are also interactive workshops where you can build various constructions from scratch.

Book your Leonardo Interactive Museum ticket — skip the line

Special Museums in Florence

Looking to discover something truly out of the ordinary on your trip to Florence? These three museums are unlike anything else in the city.

Stibbert Museum

The Stibbert Museum is THE under-the-radar pick among Florence’s museums. It ranks among the most fascinating and surprising places in the city — and for very good reason.

The museum showcases extraordinary collections left to the city by its owner, Frederik Stibbert. These include art objects and everyday items from European civilization, the Islamic world, and the Far East, plus an impressive weapons collection.

The exhibits alone are exciting, but what really sets this place apart is how they’re displayed. The collection of 50,000 objects is presented in a completely different way than in ordinary museums: everything is staged like a theater set! That makes the Stibbert Museum one of the most original museums in Florence.
Please note: Visits here are guided group tours lasting about one hour. Tours start at the top of each hour, so plan your arrival accordingly.

Want even more off-the-beaten-path tips? Then read our insider tips for Florence.

Museo del Calcio (Football Museum)

If you’re a big soccer fan, don’t even think twice — the Museo del Calcio deserves a spot on your Florence itinerary.

The museum is located at the headquarters of the Italian national soccer team, the Federal Technical Center in Coverciano. Everything about the history and present of the Azzurri is documented here.

The Museo del Calcio also displays the jerseys of legendary champions who helped make soccer the world’s most popular sport — from Di Stefano to Pelé to Maradona.