Florence has a lot of museums. Like in New York City, there are so many that it seems it would be impossible to visit every one if you wished.
We have been chipping away at the list of Florence museums worth visiting. Recently, with Susan's sister Sally and her husband Rob, we visited a lesser known museum, the Museum of Zoology and Natural History. The museum, opened in 1775, is the oldest public scientific museum in Europe and is popularly known as La Specola (or observatory) because the museum is housed in a large palace with an observatory added in 1790.
Today the museum has two main collections, both of which are extensive. The zoological collection has animal specimens of all sorts, from small insects to large mammals. One large specimen is a hippopotamus, a former pet of the Medici family in the 1600's.
The other collection is out of the ordinary--wax models of human bodies and internal organs. The models date from the 1600's and were used as tools for teaching medicine. They seem realistic and are not pictured below. (If you wish, you can see some of the wax models here.)
Here are some photos from out visit to La Specola.
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| Rob revealing ne of his super powers--an incredibly strong index finger |
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| Photo of a deer and a rare squirrel, the "Mohawk Squirrel" |
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| The museum is home to a beautifully decorated hall honoring Italian scientists, including one of the greatest, Galileo Galilei. |
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