The statue of David is 20+ feet tall. I had no idea he's so huge. Part of the awesomeness of seeing this work is the size.
The two best parts of the museum were:
1. A juxtaposition of photos from Robert Maplethorpe and roman-esque figures. Many of Maplethorpe's subjects had physiques like their muscle-bound marble counter-parts (one subject, Lisa Lyon, was a bodybuilder and another, Derrick Cross, a professional dancer).
2. A collection of musical instruments from the 17th and 18th centuries. A lot of these were completely new to me. Ever seen a piano guitar? Not a key-guitar... a mechanical piano guitar. The exhibit was especially cool because they had computers that let you listen to the instruments and see how they were built and played. Included were a couple working cut-aways that let you play with and see exactly how a piano hammer versus a harpischord pluck works.
On the way back from dinner we saw a street artist reproducing one of the better Jesus paintings in 12'x12' chalk on pavement. Her reproduction was, to my eyes, a lot more appealing than a lot of pieces we paid to see.
Low-points:
* Whose idea was it to paint baby Jesus with a grown-man's face? If the son of God appeared today looking like Benjamin Button, a modern-day Mary might put him up for adoption. Blech.
* The museum doesn't give you a brochure or a map. You just have to wander around.
Pro-tip: Have your hotel book your ticket for you. We heard a horror story from the couple in front of us who were turned away from the Uffizi because they didn't have their reservation number.
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