When you plan a holiday, you can find that costs begin to add up quick and it is always good to have some excellent but inexpensive or free activities to add into your itinerary. If you are planning a vacation in Tuscany and you have found a villa with a pool in Siena, for example, then you should definitely consider planning a trip to the Natural History Museum of the Accademia dei Fisiocritici in Siena.
Located in the former convent of Santa Mustiola, which was established by the Camaldolese order and dates all the way back to the 12th century, the Natural History Museum of the Accademia dei Fisiocritici (or MUSNAF) is a fascinating and lesser-known natural history museum in Tuscany. The origins of the museum date back to the second half of the 18th century and found its home in this former convent in 1816. Home to a rich collection of taxidermied animals, artifacts, and an amazing whole whale skeleton, and set within the stunning architectural gem that is the former convent, there is lots to see and learn here. Those interested in animals or travelling with kids, in particular, will find that it is a wonderful place to wander for a couple of hours and, best of all, is free of charge to visit!
Aiming to promote scientific learning and environmental protection, the museum is divided into four main sections: the geological, zoological, anatomical, and botanical collections. Displayed largely on the two floors of the cloister galleries that surround a courtyard (in which there is an ancient well dating back to the end of the 16th century and the aforementioned famous whale skeleton) and with some pieces in the ground floor and basement rooms, the exhibition style of the nineteenth century remains mostly unaltered, with glass-fronted display cabinets stuffed full of things to see. Items on display include massive sea shells that don't seem real, animals born with strange mutations, Paolo Mascagni's stunning life-size drawings of the human body in all its parts from his Anatomia Universa (1823-1831), historical telescopes and an exquisite planetarium made in the 18th century, Native American weapons, Etruscan urns, and the large collection of all sorts of different taxidermied animals from birds to fish to reptiles to mammals. Some of the most interesting animals in this collection include endangered parrots from New Zealand and the now extinct Northern Curlew, boas, crocodiles, tropical butterflies, a honeycomb of hornets, a basking shark, platypus, big cats, dolphins, and more.
Fascinating and located within a gorgeous architectural setting, this little-known gem is an excellent but free attraction to visit if you have found a villa with a pool in Siena and are planning a vacation in Tuscany!
Aiming to promote scientific learning and environmental protection, the museum is divided into four main sections: the geological, zoological, anatomical, and botanical collections. Displayed largely on the two floors of the cloister galleries that surround a courtyard (in which there is an ancient well dating back to the end of the 16th century and the aforementioned famous whale skeleton) and with some pieces in the ground floor and basement rooms, the exhibition style of the nineteenth century remains mostly unaltered, with glass-fronted display cabinets stuffed full of things to see. Items on display include massive sea shells that don't seem real, animals born with strange mutations, Paolo Mascagni's stunning life-size drawings of the human body in all its parts from his Anatomia Universa (1823-1831), historical telescopes and an exquisite planetarium made in the 18th century, Native American weapons, Etruscan urns, and the large collection of all sorts of different taxidermied animals from birds to fish to reptiles to mammals. Some of the most interesting animals in this collection include endangered parrots from New Zealand and the now extinct Northern Curlew, boas, crocodiles, tropical butterflies, a honeycomb of hornets, a basking shark, platypus, big cats, dolphins, and more.
Fascinating and located within a gorgeous architectural setting, this little-known gem is an excellent but free attraction to visit if you have found a villa with a pool in Siena and are planning a vacation in Tuscany!
