Everything you need to know about the Uffizi in Florence for kids

by mumslittleexplorers · October 15, 2019

Heading to Florence, Italy sometime soon? Or just curious about the famous Uffizi Museum? This guide gives you a list of Uffizi facts for kids to learn before you go and visit Florence’s most famous attraction. And if you are visiting the Uffizi with kids, you will also find some helpful tips for your trip.

About the Uffizi Gallery, Florence

The Uffizi Gallery or “Galleria degli Uffizi” is one of the largest and most well-known art museums in the world. It is located in the center of Florence in a grand Renaissance building right next to Palazzo Vecchio.

This building was constructed in the 16^th century to host governing officers of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Now, it is home to some of most magnificent artwork and masterpieces from the Renaissance period. Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Annunciation”, Michelangelo’s “Doni Tondo”, and Filippo Lippi’s “Madonna and Child” are some of the unmissable ones. A large part of the collection was owned by the House of Medici before being bequeathed to the Tuscan state in the 18^th century.

The Uffizi is one of the most frequented art museums in the world today and sees more than 2 million visitors every year. It is an absolute must-visit when you are in Florence even with kids.

Our child-friendly guide of the Uffizi Gallery will help you make the most of your family trip.

Find below the following information:

Interesting facts about the Uffizi
Tips for making your visit to the Uffizi with kids interesting
Practical information about your visit including location, cost etc.

5 Interesting facts about Uffizi Gallery for Kids

1. The Uffizi Gallery is housed in a horseshoe-shaped building called Palazzo degli Uffizi that was constructed between 1560 and 1580 which means it is more than 400 years old.

2. The art and sculpture collection at Uffizi is displayed in more than 60 rooms across two different floors. That is a lot of art!

3. Uffizi is so named because it occupies a building that had offices of Florence’s magistrates and judiciary officers. “Uffizi” means offices in Italian.

4. One of the longest corridors (also a secret one when it was built) in the world connects the Uffizi Gallery with Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti. It is called the Vasari Corridor and is more than a km long.

5. The Uffizi Gallery has survived deadly World War II bombing raids, a particularly severe flood in 1966, and mafia car bombings in 1993. It is often termed the most Resilient Art Museum in the world.

7. Tips for visiting the Uffizi with Kids

1. Book your tickets well in advance. Uffizi sees a lot of tourists almost every day. Getting your tickets done and reserving a time slot is very helpful with kids.

2. Make sure you look up the list of child-friendly activities and tours available at Uffizi. They cater to kids across age groups. Story factories, flower tours, and monster hunts can make your family trip to the Uffizi memorable.

3. Do not plan to see everything. Head to Uffizi’s Official Website, make a list of must-dos and the rooms they are in, and plan your itinerary.

4. If possible, visit early in the morning before 10 am because that is when the tour groups start coming in. Or come after 5 pm when the groups have left.

5. Take time to look away from the art and up at the ceilings to spot mythological creatures, animals, and funny figures. Design your own animal hunt game.

6. The museum has a cafeteria on the second floor if your family needs some refueling. You can also enjoy stunning views of the city and the Arno river from here.

7. Toilets are available on all floors and there is a breastfeeding room near the cafeteria. The toilets in the basement are equipped with changing tables.

Practical Information

Now for the more practical information to help you navigate your way to the Uffizi with kids.

How to get to Uffizi Gallery?

The Uffizi Gallery is located on Piazzale degli Uffizi right next to Palazzo Vecchio in the heart of Florence. It is easy to just walk to Uffizi from anywhere in the historic center.

If you are traveling by train or car, you will probably arrive at the Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station first. SMN is also the closest parking lot to Uffizi. From here, you can either walk (20 minutes) to the museum or take a cab (less than 10 minutes).

What are the opening hours?

The Uffizi Gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 8:15 am – 6:50 pm. Last entrance is at 6:35 pm and the ticket office closes at 6:05 pm. The gallery is closed on Mondays, the 1^st of January, and the 25^th of December.

What are the entrance costs?

Regular ticket
A regular ticket to the Uffizi Gallery costs €20. In addition, you will need to reserve your slot by paying €4 extra. It helps you to avoid the long queues of the museum and enter at a time of your choice.

Reduced price of the regular ticket for EU citizens between 18-25 years of age is €2. Children under the age of 18, of any nationality, can enter the Uffizi Gallery for free.

Combined ticket
You can visit the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti, and Boboli Gardens on a combined ticket that costs €38 from March-October and €18 from November-February. This ticket is valid for 3 consecutive days.

Free admission days
Uffizi has a number of free admission days every year. On these days, you cannot book a ticket, make a reservation, or gain any kind of priority access. However, these days are usually more crowded and not recommended when traveling with kids.

Apart from these popular entrance options, you can also use an annual subscription called the Passepartout or a Firenze Card to access the Uffizi Gallery.

*Note: Prices are correct at date published (Oct 2019), check website to confirm.

Where to buy your tickets from?

We recommend buying tickets in advance. You can get some great deals for family tours of the Uffizi online. These allow you to skip lines, play fun-filled treasure hunt games, and be steered by an expert tour guide.

If you decide to do an Uffizi tour on your own, remember to book advanced tickets online.

Should you pre-buy tickets?

Pre-buying tickets and getting your reservation done is particularly helpful when you are traveling with kids. Remember that the Uffizi Gallery is one of the most popular museums in Florence and the entire world. Queues at the museum can be quite long and boring. And you may end up getting a time slot you don’t prefer. So, always book ahead.

Is a tour helpful?

It is always a good idea to take a guided tour of a museum as large as the Uffizi. And with kids in the tow, a guided tour can be a lifesaver. Many private, family-friendly tours include treasure hunts and family portraits in their itineraries. Plus, tour guides encourage kids to search for cats, dogs, flowers, and monsters in the paintings, look into Medusa’s mouth, and hunt for concealed figures in many of the masterpieces.

Click here for discounted tours of the Uffizi Museum and to skip the line.

Visiting Italy with Kids?

We hope this post on visiting the Uffizi with kids was helpful for you and that you and your family learned something new along the way. Visiting the Uffizi with kids doesn’t have to be stressful, in fact it can be very educational for you all.

Visiting Florence? Check out our full post: What to do in Florence with kids, and why not look out our full guide: Family Travel in Italy.