Museums in Florence

Be aware that “Free” means that lots of other people will be there, too - especially locals - saving some Euros off the regular admission price. The museums will be more crowded than usual, and seeing things will be more challenging, with the place so packed. Sometimes you do get what you pay for. We’ve avoided free days now for several years, in Europe, and also at home - got to the Denver zoo on a recent “free” day, and went back home after we saw the mobs in the parking lot.

My dilemma is I arrive Florence from Venice on Saturday 10/1. Sunday is the “free” day, Monday museum closed, Tuesday I leave for Montepulciano. Other than Sunday, I have partial days on Sat or Tuesday to do some museums.

Sorry, Beverly. Aside from the Borghese in Rome, I'm unaware of reservations being possible for the Italian National Museums on free Sundays. Not for the Uffizi...

https://www.uffizi.it/en/events/free-entry-3april

....nor the Accademia, Bargello, San Marco and others which don't show ticketing/timed-entry reservations possible on the next soonest Sunday (June 5th).

There are some National Museums open on Mondays, however, just not the Accademia, Uffizi, Pitti, etc. Explore your options on the B-ticket website for your dates?

https://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/default_eng.aspx.html

Parts of the duomo complex are also open on Sundays, such as the Baptistry (which is wonderful), museum (also reported to be wonderful), bell tower and dome climb (reservation mandatory). Explore the options and passes here:

https://duomo.firenze.it/en/home
https://operaduomofirenze.skiperformance.com/en/store#/en/buy

So all is not lost! I just wouldn't even think of attempting the queues at the Uffizi or Accademia on a free Sunday.

Thank you for some good ideas & links!

For the Duomo in Florence, I would recommend getting their multi-day pass (good for 3 days) that includes everything. When we were in Florence last week, it did say that the museum is closed on Sunday. Everything else is open on Sunday though, so we climbed the bell tower that day.

Melissa, the official website for the duomo states that the museum is closed on the first Tuesday of every month, If it was closed on a Sunday when you were there, it must have been some sort of special event. The site's calendar reflects the closed Tuesdays/open Sundays schedule.

This is the pass that includes "everything" but as noted above, dome requires a timed-entry reservation. There are two other passes which exclude the dome, if not interested in doing that.

https://operaduomofirenze.skiperformance.com/en/store#/en/buy

While the basilica is closed on Sundays, there are some other great churches one can visit on Sundays. Just a few...

Santa Croce:
https://www.santacroceopera.it/en/

San Miniato (Sundays, 8:15 - 13:00 and 15:00 - 19:00, being careful to work around services at 8:30, 10:00, 11:30 AM and 5:30 PM. In other words, best visiting time would be between 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM). This is also a great reason to make the climb up for a great view over Florence.
https://www.sanminiatoalmonte.it/contatti/
https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-churches/san-miniato.html

Santa Maria Novella:
https://www.smn.it/en/

Basilica Santissima Annunziata (again being cautious to work around services; the best art, IMHO, is in the entry cloister, outside the main body of the church):
https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-churches/santissima-annunziata.html

Santa Trinita:
https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-churches/santa-trinita.html

I'll be there almost the same days! Instead, I get in on Friday afternoon and leave Tuesday. It sounds like I can do both the Accademia and Uffizi on Saturday especially since I'm going to do a tour. Sunday, I'm going to stroll and shop if everything isn't closed. On Monday, I'm thinking of seeing Sienna on a tour. I've only just started looking into tours though.

Wow, I have the same exact problem as you right now, Beverly. We will be arriving in Florence on October 1st and leaving for Venice on October 4th. I knew some of the museums were closed on Mondays, but I forgot that the first Sunday is free day. We are wondering if it is actually that crowded. If we get there when it opens will it still be miserably crowded? If it is overwhelming, we could then reserve a time for Tuesday morning. But by then, will it be too late to get tickets for Tuesday morning?

The Uffizi, Duomo Museum and Academia are pretty mobbed on any day, can’t imagine trying to do it on the free day. I would do everything possible to see those on your partial days (I read that right, right?)

Other museums like the Galileo or Bargello would be better options on Sunday. The Bargello in particular is big and has some larger open spaces, even crowded I feel like it would be manageable. Not sure how church services affect sightseeing on Sunday’s, but some of the best art is inside them (except the Duomo.)