There is a special exhibit at the Accademia. If we just get regular tickets (and don't pay for access to the special exhibit) will this allow us access to see the David? We don't want to miss out on the good stuff but don't feel interested in paying for the extra exhibit. Hope we're not wrong!
Posted by
Indianapolis, IN, United States
16 posts
Yes, the regular admission will allow you to see David. Actually as soon as you pass the security check after you buy the tickets, you will be in the area where David is standing! Can't miss him.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
The Accademia was built to house David. It IS the exhibit. There are other very nice things to see but its all about David.
Posted by
OP
Washington, DC, USA
15 posts
Terrific! Thanks!
Posted by
St Louis
411 posts
When there is a special exhibit the admission charge is increased whether or not you wish to see the special exhibit--- in this case I believe it's an exhibit of Robert Maplethorpe. The admission will be 10 euro and an extra 4 euro if you reserve in advance.
Posted by
Tucson
137 posts
We just saw David. He was awesome! We had our three kids with us and the photo exhibit (I can't see the previous post, but they name the photographer) was interesting, with a couple of the photos being pretty explicit. My kids are still giggling about them :-) There also is an exhibit of musical instruments that we all really liked.
The museum really is very, very small. Also, when you call to make the reservation they give you a number (the phone number on this website is correct, but in the Rick Steves Italy 2008 book the last digit is incorrect). We forgot the number when we got to the museum, but they had our name on a very well organized list of who had reservations and when. I was both relieved and impressed. And... nothing was very crowded in Florence that day, but the line out of Accademia was huge. Definitely book ahead.
Posted by
Ottawa
237 posts
I just wanted to clarify Larry's point. The statue of David is "the exhibit" but the Accademia was not built to house David as the following excerpt explains:
"David was commissioned in 1501 by the Cathedral Works Committee (Opera Del Duomo). At the age of 26, Michelangelo was given a leftover block of marble that came from the mountains of Carrara, one which had previously been worked on by various other artists. The piece was intended as a monumental work, a testimony to the city's republican pride, not one for close confinement, but was moved to the Accademia in 1873 (from outside the Palazzo Vecchio, where a replica now stands ) to protect it from the ravages of time and the weather."
Posted by
St Louis
411 posts
Just to further clarify, the "Tribuna" section of the gallery was in fact built to house the David due to concerns that the statue was being damaged by the elements. If not "the" exhibit David is certainly the star to be sure. The unfinished Michelangelo statues are worth seeing--- though it's unlikely that the the pieta sculpture which is attributed to him is his work. There is a small but lovely collection of 12th or 13th century altarpieces that is worth a look and we enjoyed the museum of musical instruments as well. The Botticellis are worth seeing but for some reason are placed in such a way that makes it difficult to really appreciate them.