Florence schoolchildren to get exclusive access to Uffizi and Palazzo Vecchio

A new educational initiative called 'Uscio e bottega' will allow Florentine schoolchildren to visit Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Galleries together in an intimate, private setting. Starting this autumn, on Mondays when the Uffizi is closed to the public, groups of students from fourth and fifth grade primary school and first grade lower secondary school will participate in two workshops (morning and afternoon). They will explore Palazzo Vecchio, including the Medici apartments and the Salone dei Cinquecento, then cross the currently closed cavalcavia connecting the former Medici residence to the Uffizi. At the Uffizi, they will enjoy exclusive access to the First Corridor, its adjacent rooms, and the Tribune. The project does not include the Vasari Corridor, which is open to limited groups of 22 people (including guides) until November. Uffizi Director Eike Schmidt stated that within the next two to three years, every Florentine child will receive this unique experience, previously reserved for the children of grand dukes. Mayor Dario Nardella has long advocated for this union. The program is free of charge.