Florence's renowned natural history
and science museum best known as La Specola reopened to the
public on Thursday after renovations lasting over four years.
The museum, established by Pietro Leopoldo, Grand Duke of
Tuscany, as the Royal Imperial Museum of Physics and Natural
History on February 21, 1775, is Europe's oldest example of a
scientific institution open to all.
Now, after the redevelopment co-financed by Tuscany Region and
Florence University, of which it is a part, La Specola offers 13
new rooms dedicated to the beginnings of wax modelling,
botanical waxes - which are back on display after a century -
and mineralogy.
Of particular note is the Medici collection of worked stones,
which includes two jasper cups and one in nephrite jade
belonging to Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici, who ruled Florence in
the second half of the 15th century, and the shell-shaped lapis
lazuli cup belonging to the first grand duke of Tuscany, Cosimo
I.
The museum also illustrates the evolution of minerals, with
unique samples including tourmalines and haematites from Elba,
sulphur from Sicily and topaz and aquamarine crystals from
Brazil.
On the second floor is the 'Art and Science' route dedicated to
the genesis and evolution of Florentine ceramics.
Visitors can now also once again admire the historic zoological
collection with 4,600 specimens of animals from all over the
world, 18th-century anatomical waxes, the Skeleton Salon, the
monumental Tribune dedicated to Galileo Galilei and the
astronomical observation tower.
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