Museo Galileo (Galileo Museum), Florence

This museum serves as a remarkable tribute to the renowned scientist Galileo Galilei, who was born in Pisa in 1564 and passed away in 1642. Within its walls, visitors can explore a fascinating collection that includes Galileo's telescopes and the lens he utilized to make groundbreaking discoveries about Jupiter's largest moons. The museum also offers impressive, large-scale reconstructions of Galileo's experiments on motion, weight, velocity, and acceleration, occasionally demonstrated by knowledgeable staff members.

In 1657, Florence established the world's first-ever scientific institution, the Academy for Experimentation ("Accademia del Cimento"), as a tribute to Galileo. Some of the academy's pioneering inventions, such as early thermometers, hygrometers, and barometers, are proudly showcased in the museum.

Additionally, be sure to admire the 1554 world map created by Portuguese cartographer Lopo Homem, as well as the nautical instruments devised by Sir Robert Dudley, an Elizabethan marine engineer employed by the Medici dukes to construct the harbor at Livorno.

Why You Should Visit:
Visitors with an interest in English literature will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, while art enthusiasts can appreciate the aesthetic beauty of thes functional devices on display. Engineers will find themselves in a paradise of endless arrays of gadgets. Families with young children seeking a hands-on experience may not find it here, but students of all ages will find this museum to be enriching. Furthermore, admission grants access to one of the marvels of modern science: air-conditioning.