Changes to the Amici degli Uffizi pass in Florence?

Getting info updates before they actually take effect can be difficult in Italy. I would wait and check the museum web site again in May or June.

Hello,
You may have read my post (see below). To date, there is no word of any official changes.

Posted by jackie (chicago, il, usa) on 02/15/15 10:09 AM
Hi all,
I have a friend who lives in Florence who makes good use of her Friends of the Uffizi card. As of April 1, the Friends of the Uffizi participating museums may change. Uffizi will stay a guaranteed museum however, the Bargello, Accademia and Palazzo Pitti may opt out. No final decision as of yet. Up to and until March 31, 2015, everything will remain as is. Just a thought for those considering purchasing the card in the future

Thanks, Jackie, that was the post I read. I suppose that any news will be available on the official site? I may try to email them and see whether I can get any info that way.

I did email Uffizi. I was told that a new administration will be taking over around May 15 and the decisions about changes will be known then. But it would be good for someone else to email as well. This would have been a good deal for me as an individual as I will be in Florence twice within three weeks.

It's interesting they're telling you that decisions won't be made until May. As the website states that the current list is only valid until the end of this month, one would think they'd need to have the updated roster in place by then (or change the expected revision date on the website). Curiouser and curiouser!

deacongerri, I have emailed the Uffizi too so I'll let you know if/when I hear back. As they are valid for a calendar year we may decide just to buy it now and then we are sure of having it. You may want to do the same? Kathy, I was wondering how that's going to work too and what the website will say after March 31st.

I heard back promptly from the Uffizi and they said:

"Hello,
the list validup to 31 st May. I hope that you can wait until this time. May can chang the organization of museum and I don't know iwhether benefits will be confirm."

So it confirms the previous email but we still don't know what will happen in May. From my own point of view, I think I need to assess whether the pass is a good fit for us and just go for it before May if it is. Hope this helps someone else.

Hello! I have a trip for my family of 4 planned for early July and had planned to purchase an Uffizi membership for our time in Florence. Does anyone have an update on changes to which museums will be available on the card? Also, I have read mixed reports on whether the card allows skip-the-line entrance for all the museums or just for the Uffizi?

Thank you!

http://www.amicidegliuffizi.it/diventa_socio.php?pg=8&ln=en

We will be in Florence in June. Using the link above I found that the following places are included in the Amici degli Uffizi membership:

Uffizi Gallery (recommended entrance : door no. 2)
Accademia Gallery
The Pitti Palace
The Palatine Gallery & Royal Apartments
The Gallery of Modern Art
The Costume Gallery
The Medici Treasury
The Porcelain Museum
The Boboli Gardens
The Bardini Gardens
Bargello National Museum
Museum of the Medici Chapels
Museum of Palazzo Davanzati
Museum of San Marco
Garden of the Medici Villa of Castello
Medici Villa of Petraia
Medici Villa of Poggio a Caiano
Medici Villa of Cerreto Guidi & Historical Hunting and Territorial Museum
Cenacolo of Ognissanti
Cenacolo of Andrea del Sarto

Cenacolo of Fuligno

Cenacolo of Sant’Apollonia

Cloister of the Scalzo

It looks like that covers almost everything. Maybe not the Duomo.

My daughter's college roommate, who is with Gonzaga in Paris this summer, recommended this as well.

Thank you so much! It seems like the Amici is the way to go!

I just rechecked the Amici website and the new message is: Effective as of June 15, 2015, the Regional Secretary of the former Superintendency of the State Museums of Florence stipulated that our members, holding valid membership and ID cards, are eligible for the free entrance and the priority pass to the Uffizi Gallery only. So...it appears it is not the bargain it used to be. I'm glad I waited to purchase - was going to get it for an August/Sept. trip.

That has been confirmed by a post on another forum on which I am a member. The person who posted said that they had been using their AdU card as expected but as of today it has been refused at the Bargello Museum. They are understandably angry and they won't be the only ones. It seems amazing to me that this card has been sold all year up to this point with the understanding that the list of museums applied (albeit with smallprint saying subject to change) and then they can change overnight. Don't think this could happen in the UK but can they get away with it in Italy do you think?

That's a cryin' shame as that card was a much better option for us than the Firenze card. I'd intended on purchasing that one again on our next trip. :O(

We were in Florence for a month in 2012 and purchased Amici Degli Uffizi memberships which included free entry to most of the major museums, including the Uffizi and Galleria dell'Accademia, the two "must see" museums in town, among many others. Membership was around €55 at the time and it was a great bargain. Not only did you have access to the best museums in Firenze, but you also skipped the long lines at the Uffizi without a reservation.

Unfortunately, the latest posts are true and the Amici Degli Uffizi membership IS ONLY GOOD FOR ENTRANCE TO THE UFFIZI effective June 15, 2015. You can visit their website for more details:

http://www.amicidegliuffizi.it/diventa_socio.php?pg=8&ln=en

However, there is the FirenzeCard which gets you into the vast majority of museums (Uffizi, L'Accademia, Palazzo Vecchio, etc) as well as city public transportation (Ataf, Linea, and tram) and Firenze Free Wifi offered by the City of Florence. The card is valid for 72 hours from first use and costs €72. If you plan on visiting many of the participating museums and leaving the historical center by public transport, it could be worth the rather steep price. The Uffizi and L'Accademia are two of the more expensive museums, both charging €8 for a full-price ticket, so you might want to do some calculations to see if the ticket is a good fit for your budget before you buy. You should also know that the vast majority of Florence sightseeing can be done in the historical center and public transportation is not necessary for most people. I have spent quite a bit of time in Florence and have only taken public transportation once, a bus to and from Piazzale Michelangelo which sits atop a hill across the river from the center of town.

Many of the museums in Florence offer free entry once each month. For example, L'Accademia (€8 at the box office; full price ticket online is €23) has "Sunday at the Museum" where you gain FREE entry to the museum on the first Sunday of each month. The Uffizi Gallery also offers free entry on the first Sunday of every month as do several others. So if you happen to be in Florence on the first Sunday of the month, you are in luck ... Buon Viaggio!

The Uffizi and L'Accademia are two of the more expensive museums, both charging €8 for a full-price ticket,

Full-price tickets to the Uffizi are €8 unless you purchase them in advance - which is really mandatory during high and shoulder seasons - so add a €4 fee if purchasing through the official b-ticket site. Also, until 9/27/2015, ticket prices are €16.50 (€12.50+€4 fee) on b-ticket because of a special exhibit. The same price currently applies to the Accademia as there's a special exhibit there until 10/11/2015. No, there is no way to purchase tickets which do not include the special exhibits.

The Accademia should not have an online ticket price of €23 unless using a different booking site than b-ticket. http://www.accademia.org and http://www.uffizi.org both have inflated prices and fees.

Special exhibits are covered under the Firenze card although I would still do the math on that one.