You can reach the Galleria from Via Ricasoli, which is taken over by tourists willing to wait in mile-long lines just to see David. Perhaps you've also come here thanks to the planetary fame of this masterpiece sculpture. And it's true, the sight of David from the entrance of the Galleria dei Prigioni, or Prisoners' Gallery, surrounded by the enormous unfinished figures of the Slaves and St. Matthew, is a must-see.
I also suggest spending some time visiting the rest of the Gallery: besides Michelangelo, you can see many other beautiful works of art.
Let me tell you about this museum's past: where you now stand used to be two convents, which were unconsecrated and united together in the second half of the 18th century at the behest of the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo of Lorraine, and became the home of the Academy of Fine Arts. To help teach young artists, the Academy immediately began collecting antique paintings and formed an important collection of plaster casts and drawings, which are now an integral part of the museum's exposition. Your visit begins in the so-called Sala del Colosso, where you can find one of the most famous plaster casts of the Accademia's collections: it is The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna, a sculpture that still stands today in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria. The most acclaimed guest of the Accademia, David, only came to the gallery at the end of the eighteenth century, and was placed in the center of the Tribune that was specially designed for him by the same architect who designed the Cathedral's façade.
You'll notice that the Gallery displays many works with religious subjects, including an impressive collection of paintings with a gold background, mostly made by Florentine artists.
If you are a music lover, you should definitely also visit the Department of Musical Instruments, where you can see splendid ancient musical instruments from the Medici and Lorena collections.
FUN FACT: as well as being the second museum in Italy for number of visitors, the Galleria dell’Accademia is also the single place in the world where you can see the largest number of works by Michelangelo: there are seven!
