Florence is known for her museums and the Medici, in particular, were instrumental in building, and leaving behind, the extraordinary wealth of priceless artworks that live in the city today. However, in addition to their collecting of art, they also assembled a vast selection of natural specimens such as fossils, animals, minerals and plants. These examples and a large collections of books are held today in the Museum of Natural History.
Opened to the public in 1775 by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, it was originally comprised of several natural history collections housed within the Palazzo Torrigiani on Via Romana. It has grown immensely over the centuries and is now one of the finest collections in the country.
Opened to the public in 1775 by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, it was originally comprised of several natural history collections housed within the Palazzo Torrigiani on Via Romana. It has grown immensely over the centuries and is now one of the finest collections in the country.
Made up of 34 rooms - 24 for zoology and 10 for anatomic waxes – it the museum is made up of 6 major collections: the Giardino dei Semplici (on Via Micheli), Europe's third oldest botanical garden; the Museo di Botanica (on Via La Pira), a large herbarium; the Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia (on Via La Pira); Museo di Mineralogia e Litologia (on Via La Pira); the Museo Nazionale di Antropologia ed Etnologia (in Palazzo Nonfinito), a collection of ethnological items and anthropological items; the Zoologia "La Specola" (on Via Romana), a collection of around 3 million zoological specimens, of which about 5,000 are on public display, with a further 3,000 specimens.
The whole museum and the entirety of its collections are, indeed, fascinating but the Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia is a particular highlight. It is home to about 200,000 specimens from the collections of noted geologists and paleontologists such as Fucini, Dainelli, Marinelli, De Stefani, Stefanini, D'Ancona and Pecchioli. Among these specimens, there is a room filled with a truly incredible collection of the skeletons of early elephants that are massive and wildly impressive! Come see them for yourself and, if you're travelling as a family, it really makes for the perfect place for a fun day out that everyone will enjoy!
The museum collections are open mornings - except Wednesday - and all day Saturday and there is plenty to see. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and drop by. Don't forget that we are the best website for Tuscan villas to rent on the market so, if you're planning a holiday to Tuscany, be sure to check out Tuscany-villas.it!
The whole museum and the entirety of its collections are, indeed, fascinating but the Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia is a particular highlight. It is home to about 200,000 specimens from the collections of noted geologists and paleontologists such as Fucini, Dainelli, Marinelli, De Stefani, Stefanini, D'Ancona and Pecchioli. Among these specimens, there is a room filled with a truly incredible collection of the skeletons of early elephants that are massive and wildly impressive! Come see them for yourself and, if you're travelling as a family, it really makes for the perfect place for a fun day out that everyone will enjoy!
The museum collections are open mornings - except Wednesday - and all day Saturday and there is plenty to see. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and drop by. Don't forget that we are the best website for Tuscan villas to rent on the market so, if you're planning a holiday to Tuscany, be sure to check out Tuscany-villas.it!
Photo credits
picture 2: Daderot. / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 2: Daderot. / CC BY-SA 3.0
