Uffizi Gallery limits access during strike on 20 November

The Uffizi Gallery (Gallerie degli Uffizi) in Florence will operate under special access arrangements during a national general strike on 20 November 2026. The museum has announced a guaranteed afternoon opening for its main Gallery of Statues and Paintings.

The change matters for travellers planning a visit to one of Italy's best-known art museums. The operator has published the arrangements in advance, including the part of the complex covered and the period in which opening is guaranteed.

Uffizi Gallery strike limits access on 20 November

Trade unions have called a national general strike across public and private sectors for 20 November 2026. The Uffizi Galleries says its Gallery of Statues and Paintings will be guaranteed to open from 1.30pm to 6.30pm on that date, while the Boboli Gardens will remain open throughout the day.

The 20 November strike notice also warns that closures or service disruptions may occur outside the guaranteed service period. Last admission is one hour before closing time for both circuits, according to the operator. The notice concerns the Uffizi museum itself, rather than a city-wide disruption with no effect on visitors.

Vasari's building gives the change a precise setting

The affected museum occupies the first and second floors of a large building constructed between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. Its collections include paintings from the Middle Ages to the modern period, alongside ancient sculptures and busts associated with the Medici family.

The strike arrangement therefore applies to the principal gallery route inside a sixteenth-century complex beside the River Arno. The building's history helps explain why a timetable change at the Gallery of Statues and Paintings is more specific for visitors than a general notice about museums in Florence. The official Uffizi description identifies Vasari as the designer and places the collections across the building's upper floors.

The Uffizi is also part of the Historic Centre of Florence, which UNESCO inscribed on its World Heritage list in 1982. The museum stands beside Piazza della Signoria and forms part of the historic urban setting that includes the Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia dei Lanzi.

Visiting Uffizi Gallery: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The relevant date is 20 November 2026, when the Gallery of Statues and Paintings has guaranteed opening from 1.30pm to 6.30pm.
• The strike affects the guaranteed access period: the operator warns that closures or service disruptions may occur outside that period.
• The museum is on the left side of Piazzale degli Uffizi, close to Piazza della Signoria, in central Florence.
• The main collections are arranged across the first and second floors of the building, which was constructed between 1560 and 1580.
• Florence is in Italy, where Italian is the official language and the currency is the euro.

The practical consequence is clear: a visit planned for 20 November 2026 should be scheduled within the guaranteed afternoon period, while earlier access cannot be relied upon under the published strike arrangements.

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Frequently asked questions about Uffizi Gallery

When does the strike affect Uffizi Gallery?

The national general strike takes place on 20 November 2026. Guaranteed access to the Gallery of Statues and Paintings runs from 1.30pm to 6.30pm.

What is Uffizi Gallery?

It is an art museum in Florence occupying the first and second floors of a building designed by Giorgio Vasari and constructed between 1560 and 1580.

Where is Uffizi Gallery and how do you get there?

The museum is on the left side of Piazzale degli Uffizi, close to Piazza della Signoria in central Florence.