The Uffizi Museum is one of the most famous in the world. It was started and designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560. It was an office building for Cosimo I de' Medici. The first time we visited Florence on a one day trip out of Rome we could not wait in line for hours so we did not see the museum. On our next trip to Florence, we got smarter and booked our tickets on line. I just happened to hear the hotel clerk inform another guest that the day we had for our tickets there was a nationwide strike. We went to the ticket office and were informed that the museum might be opened, depending on how many employees showed up. We got our tickets and we got into the museum. There was just a few rooms opened because of the few employee that showed up. Here are some of the pictures of the Museum I could sneak (pictures were not allowed). I have included a link to another page with the views of Florence from the Uffizi, they are beautiful. It was dusting snow the day we went.