The Academy of Fine Arts was founded in 1563. The exposition of the gallery was formed by 1784 under the direction of the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo. 100 years later, a new room, the so-called Tribuna, was added to the main building of the Academy to house the original statue of Michelangelo's David. There are other masterpieces by Michelangelo in the Gallery, such as the "Slaves". This is a sculptural group created in 1521-1523 to decorate the tombstone of Pope Julius II.
In the Galleria dell'Accademia you can see a splendid collection of paintings by famous Florentine masters of painting, including Botticelli, Filippo Lippi, Bronzino and Ghirlandaio. One room displays paintings and scuptura by members of the Academy from the 19th century, including works by the sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini.
