We love Civic museums, historical societies, and the like. In essence, that's the Barghello and it's sister museums (get the combo ticket). But consider that the Barghello is 50 times better. The building alone is spectacular, Donatello's David a masterpiece, but it's the big and little collections that are here that tell the story of Florentines, their successes and failures, their tastes, their passions, their legacies. And you can buy a ticket at the door and fill in your Firenze experience with short but sweet visits to the Davanzati (exceptional silk and lace collection, the Medici Chapel (marble magic and tombs of the city father's and Dobatello), and the Martelli Mansion in which the family lived from the 1500s to 1986!.

Beautiful building, easy entry at 11 am with no crowds or queues. We did have tickets booked online already. Once inside, we used Rick Steves audio guide to explore the exhibits. Some highlights - David by Donatello, David by Verrochio, Flying Mercury by Giambologna, St. George and the dragon by Donatello, Bacchus by Michaelangelo. We spent about 2 hours here.

Amazing museum, and no crowds - a major advantage over the more popular museums in Florence. Sculptures are the main feature, but we also liked the detailed historical displays from the history of Florence right back to the 9th century. The well-preserved medieval building is remarkable too. We spent about 3 hours there. Well worth seeing.

Small museum but quite interesting. The building itself is a work of art. Michelangelo fans should visit to see several of his works in a non-crowded area. Beautiful sculptures from many famous artists. Reasonable admission fee.

Stunning architectural building full of sculptures, paintings and antiquities of centuries ago from Florence. Quieter than the other museums and cool to sit out of the heat and hustle and bustle of the city. A must visit for sure.

It is only a few rooms but it has a good amount of Michelangelo's and Donatello's. What it does not have is crowds or lines. I was there during Holy Week and Florence was mobbed but the Bargello was fairly quiet. Great way to spend an hour or two admiring the art.

This is one of the Bargello museums and a must-see attraction in Florence if you enjoy viewing sculptures. The National Museum is located along Via del Proconsolo and is open from 8.15am to 1.15pm (T, W, Th, Fr, SN), 8.15am to 6.15pm (MN & ST), closed on Tuesdays (as of 31 Dec 2024). Entry price is €10 per person. You can reserve tickets online or purchase at the museum on the day you intend to visit. The museum is located within the historic Palazzo del Podesta which was built in 1255. It served several purposes over the centuries including that of being a prison. It only became national museum in 1865. Today, the museum hosts one the finest collections of Renaissance statues in the world. You will see works by the likes of Ammannati, Bernini, Brunelleschi, Cellini, Donatello, Ghiberti, Giambologna, Michelangelo and Robbia amongst other notable Italian sculptors. Additional gallery rooms are setup with impressive porcelain, goldworks, jewels, ivory and glazed terracota works. It is fantastic collection and place you can easily spend 2+ hours sightseeing.

If you have just 30-45 minutes to spare in Florence, please just buy tickets to the Bargello Museum, head straight to the Donatello room on the second floor, stare at Donatello’s David statue, have a discussion with your children about why it’s different from Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia, and then head out. My new pet peeve about travel is recommended times for seeing stuff. Every website I look at says you need two hours for the Bargello, two hours for the Accademia, four hours for the Uffizi, give me a break! I missed out on so much stuff over the years by planning my life around guidebooks. I’m not an art student. I’m just a normal dude who wants to see important stuff. I found out the hard way, I just don’t need that much time at these places. If you have just 30-45 minutes to spare in Florence, you really should pop into the Bargello Museum, run up to the second floor, and take a quick look at Donatello’s David. The time you spend seeing this one statue is worth more than its weight in gold. Just cut the amount of time you would spend at the Uffizi by 30-45 minutes. It is worth shaving off a few galleries from the Uffizi to see the Bargello. For those who have a few days in Florence, this museum is magnificent and easily worth a few hours. It used to be the residence of the mayor, and then it was converted into a prison. In other words, the building itself is a gorgeous piece of history. The Michelangelo and Donatello rooms are a sight to behold. And, compared to other museums in Florence, there are rarely any lines here. In terms of pure art, pound for pound, I would say this is the best museum in Florence after the Accademia and the Uffizi.

The Bargello is a hidden gem and is definitely worth a visit. It may not be as renowned as the Accademia Gallery, but it's filled with beautiful artwork, much of which is quite moving. We ended up spending a surprising three hours there, captivated by the beauty.

We booked our tickets in advance, there was no queue so we just walked straight in. At the moment the Donatello room is being renovated but 3 of his sculptures are in another room. We spent 2 hours here, would have stayed longer but there's no seating in any of the rooms and no cafe to rest our weary feet and overwhelmed heads from all the art. The building itself is magnificent, the internal courtyard, exterior staircase and the loggia housing wonderful sculptures are a great introduction to a fabulous collection.