What to Know Before You Visit
From Government Offices to the First Modern Gallery
The Uffizi — literally 'the offices' — was built in 1560 to house the administration of the Medici dukes. Within decades the family was filling its corridors with their art collection, and in 1581 it opened to select visitors, making it one of the oldest galleries in the world. When the last Medici heir bequeathed everything to the city of Florence in 1743, the collection was secured for the public forever.
The Works You Came to See
Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera are the museum's icons, but the rooms hold Leonardo, Michelangelo's only finished panel painting (the Doni Tondo), Raphael, Titian's Venus of Urbino and a startling pair of Caravaggios. The building itself is part of the experience: the long sculpture-lined corridors look straight down to the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio.
Practical Advice for the Visit
Entry is by timed slot — book it and arrive within your window. Check opening days on the official website before you go. The first morning slot and the last hours before closing are the calmest. Allow at least two and a half hours; serious art lovers will want more. Pair it with the Accademia (for Michelangelo's David) on a separate timed ticket.