In the heart of Florence, the Uffizi Gallery stands as one of the world’s great museum collections—and a defining early model of the modern museum. Long before its official opening in 1765, the gallery was already open to visitors by request. In 1591, writer Francesco Bocchi described it as “amongst the most supremely beautiful sights in the world filled with ancient statues, with noble paintings and extremely precious objects.”

Today, the Uffizi houses masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Raphael, among many others. It occupies the upper floors of a U-shaped building along the Arno River, designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1559 as administrative offices for Medici Grand Duke Cosimo I. It was later within these spaces that the Medici installed their celebrated art collection.

Join art historian Elaine Ruffolo for a two-part virtual exploration of the Uffizi, as she examines its history, the patronage of the Medici family, Vasari’s innovative architecture, and the extraordinary paintings that define the Florentine Renaissance.

2 sessions

Additional Art-full Friday Programs

• September 18: The Spirit of Artemisia
• November 20: Michelangelo's Painted World
• December 18: Sacred Images: The Christmas Story in Renaissance Art

General Information

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