Free Uffizi on the first Sunday

When is entry to the Uffizi free?

On the first Sunday of every month, with the «Domenica al Museo» initiative by the Ministry of Culture; it also applies to Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens.

The rule is fixed: the first Sunday of the month. In the 2026 calendar there are two dates left, the 1 November and the 6 December. They are Sundays, so the Uffizi are open with their usual hours: the museum only closes on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December.

The museum may also indicate other free days, decided by the Ministry. Before you leave, check the official purchases page, which calls them «days (or time slots) with free entry».

Can you book free entry?

No. «It is not possible to book entry»: the free ticket is collected at the entrance, just before entering.

The museum explains that on free days visitors collect the ticket «immediately next to the entrance», and that afterwards it is no longer possible to go back or leave. There is therefore no pre-sale for the first Sunday, neither online nor at the call centre.

The only exception is the Vasari Corridor, which is visited in groups with a maximum number of people and maintains the booking requirement. The table compares a normal day and the first Sunday.

Who has priority on the first Sunday?

Only people with disabilities, with their legal companion, pregnant women and EU school groups within the daily quota.

On free days the museum suspends all other priority access. The concessions page states this clearly, and the PassePartout page specifies that the pass priority does not apply on free days (or time slots).

So if you have a PassePartout, on the first Sunday you enter like everyone else. For European visitors with disabilities, the Disability Card remains the document to show.

Is the Vasari Corridor open on the first Sunday?

Yes. The regulations state that the Corridor is accessible on free Sundays with prior booking, only online, within the limits of the slots and without additional costs.

Booking is done in the ticketing area of the official website. The usual rules apply, which you can find in the Corridor regulations:

• the meeting point is room D19, on the first floor of the Gallery, where you must be «without exception» 5 minutes before;
• from the Uffizi entrance to room D19, the museum estimates at least 45 minutes;
• the visit lasts about 45 minutes, in groups of 25 with museum staff, who provide accompaniment and not a guided tour;
• the route is one-way: you exit into the Boboli Gardens, towards Palazzo Pitti, and do not return to the Uffizi;
• no bulky objects, such as suitcases, trolleys, backpacks or large umbrellas.

History and rules of the Corridor are in the Vasari Corridor guide.

What changes for tours and tickets on GetYourGuide?

Some listings state this: on the first Sunday, entry is free but cannot be booked, so «entry is not guaranteed».

Two of the offers we follow state this in their listing, with the same phrase: «on the first Sunday of every month entry is free, but since tickets cannot be booked in advance, entry is not guaranteed». The first is the Uffizi and Accademia tour for groups up to 15; the other is the walking tour with Accademia and Uffizi.

The other listings we follow do not mention it. If your date falls on the first Sunday, read the «Know before you go» section of the listing before booking. All offers on this site can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before, with a full refund.

Uffizi and Accademia with timed tickets and a guide, in groups of up to 15; the listing explains what happens on the first Sunday.

★ 4.7 · 1 - 4 hours · from $54

Discover Uffizi and Accademia in a group → Tour details

Are the hours and rules the same on the free Sunday?

Yes: open from 8:15 to 18:30, last entry at 17:30, with the same rules on bags, food and photography as every other day.

At 18:30 staff invite visitors to head towards the exit. The museum's rules, «Some rules to follow!», do not change with the free ticket:

• backpacks, bags, umbrellas and bulky objects must go to the cloakroom, which is free;
• no food or drinks in the rooms, except baby food and medical cases;
• photographs without flash, without selfie sticks and without tripods;
• children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

The rest is in the Uffizi rules guide, full hours in the hours guide.

Frequently asked questions