Can I take photos in the Uffizi?
 

I love taking pictures when I travel and my camera does pretty good indoors without a flash. Does anyone know the policy at the Uffizi? I believe the Borghese gallery in Rome is strictly no photos. Do they sell postcards of their collection?

You can in the Accademia in Florence but no flash. I didn't get to go to the Uffizi though. You can bet money they sell postcards...as they do everywhere of everything. I would do an internet search of the Uffizi and maybe find out unless you get other responses here.

I can't remember about photography although I think not. <BR>Web site doesn't seem to say, but you can email them <BR> <BR>[email protected] <BR> <BR>Yes the shop sells postcards and books. <BR>It is helpful to have consulted a book or have one with you before you tour the gallery because there isn't much in the way of captions or explanations <BR>Amazon offers one book in color on <BR>the "treasures of the Uffizi" that is less than $10, plus other offerings if you are interested.

Dianne, I'm not positive but I seem to recall other people taking photos(no flash). However we do have lots of video footage that we took of the museum, which is a really great way to go! I visit the Uffizi every few months from my couch now and it brings back wonderful memories of my trip! Call them and ask 055-294-883

If it was forbidden, I didn't notice it. Last time in the Uffizi I took an entire film worth of no flash photos ... <BR>Paulo

Thanks everyone!

Yes, you can definitely take pictures in the Uffizi, even with flash. I was surprised (and delighted) last year when I found this out first hand. <BR>As for the Academia, the official line is that flash in not allowed. However, they seem to overlook that restriction for Michelangelo's David. But, ironically, it's enforced in other parts of that museum.

Howard, there may be good reason for the Academia's behavior. <BR> <BR>It's hard to cause white marble to fade, with or without a flash. Flashes, and other excessive light, do contribute to the deterioration and fading of paintings, murals, frescoes, etc. <BR> <BR>Ed

My recollection is that photos are allowed in both the Uffizi and the Accademia - supposedly no flash in the former and flash okay in the latter. I remember hearing several tour groups being admonished "no flash!" in the Uffizi, as they took flash photos of the paintings there, but it seemed not to phase them, and the guards did nothing further. A shame, since as Ed mentioned, it damages the paintings, which have survived this long. <BR> <BR>I recommend bringing high-speed film and taking non-flash photos of anything painted.

I agree with Ed, flash photos over time will deteriorate the paintings, probably in much the same way that the sun can fade a picture over time. The amount of flash photos taken in the popular museums and galleries, even when not allowed, is huge. In Tutankhamun's tomb cameras are confiscated before going in so that they do not ruin the wall paintings. If you have a good enough camera and film 400+ speed you can take pretty good photos without flash. I think non-flash photos were allowed at the Uffizi when I was last there (October '96), but such rules are subject to change.

Ed, I am very much aware of the effect of flash on artworks. That's why I was so surprised when it was allowed in the Uffizi (and I kept asking). It's also allowed in most rooms in the Vatican Museum as well, which also surprised me. And, again, I kept asking!

We were at the Accademia yesterday (2 May 2011) and were not allowed to take any photos at all. Today we are going to Uffizi so we'll see what happens and I will get back to you if I can.

Hello Jackyjj53, this thread is from 2001. It is easy to miss the dates of threads, I have done so myself.