Museo Galileo

A walk through the history of Florentine science
Noteworthy for: The museum contains Galileo’s own binoculars, compass and microscope, as well as the telescope with which he discovered the satellites of Jupiter.

Talk of the town: Since the mid-18th century this museum has had one of Galileo’s fingers on display - you can find out exactly why inside.
A world-renowned museum dedicated to the influential Florentine physicist, mathematician and astronomer Galileo Galilei, the Museo Galileo exhibits significant historical items related to all these specialised fields, dating from the Middle Ages right up to the present day.

Although best known for its extensive collection of 16th century mathematical and scientific instruments (including clocks, compasses, telescopes, maps and early calculators), just like those Galileo would have used, it also contains items from later periods. For example, you can find astronomical globes and spheres from the 17th century, surgical instruments from the 18th century and a wide variety of lab equipment from the 19th and early 20th centuries.