Accademia's architectural evolution
Before it became a museum, the Accademia Gallery was a place of healing and worship—housed in the former Hospital of San Matteo and the Convent of San Niccolò di Cafaggio. These medieval buildings gave it a layered identity: part civic, part sacred, part scholarly.
Founded in 1784 as a teaching space for the Academy of Fine Arts, the gallery adapted old structures into classrooms and exhibition halls. As its collection expanded, so did the need for change. In 1873, Michelangelo’s David was moved here, prompting the creation of a domed Tribune, designed to showcase the sculpture in natural light.
Throughout the 20th century, former wards and monastic spaces were transformed into themed halls—housing everything from Michelangelo’s unfinished Slaves to Renaissance altarpieces and historic musical instruments.
Today, the gallery’s architecture mirrors its mission: a space where Florence’s artistic, spiritual, and educational legacies come together under one roof.