Museo di Storia Naturale - La Specola
Museo di Storia Naturale - La Specola
Museo di Storia Naturale - La Specola
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
From 1sr September ‘La Specola’ Museum will close to allow for refurbishment works to be carried out to its historic headquarters. The duration of the works is planned for 18 months. This fascinating natural history collection can be traced back to the Medici family. Full of taxidermied animals of all types, skeletons and wax anatomical models, it is a must for the curious, as well as science and history lovers.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
405 reviews
Excellent
239
Very good
113
Average
38
Poor
9
Terrible
7
CathyNewYorkCity
New York City71 contributions
Apr 2020
The collection of rocks and minerals is among the best of the many natural history museums I have visited. Pure art! Nature's art in a city of spectacular manmade art. The colors and shapes are riveting if you stop to take a look at the individual pieces. Just fascinating. Yet, a few tourists just stuck their head in from the doorway and never entered the room. If you like color and design you will spend a couple of hours here and be rewarded. Some Medici gems were on display. Rocks carved into functional works of art. The taxidermy was also fascinating and extensive. Didn't see the anatomical wax works. Was eager to return on my next visit to the city and sorely disappointed to find the museum closed for renovations. Visited April 2019. The drop down menu only goes to 2020 so I had to choose a 2020 date.
Written February 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judy Davis
Stourbridge, UK7 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
We went to visit the anatomical waxes which were an extra 3 euros for a tour. We were lucky to get on the 11am tour (there are 3 per day). We knew that the tour was in Italian, but Emmanual our tour guide was excellent and tried his best to explain to us in English.
The rest of the museum was also really interesting. Most of it was air conditioned and very well maintained. We spent a really good 2 1/2 hours here. Would definitely recommend, especially if you're interested in anatomy.
The rest of the museum was also really interesting. Most of it was air conditioned and very well maintained. We spent a really good 2 1/2 hours here. Would definitely recommend, especially if you're interested in anatomy.
Written August 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
linnae7
brooklyn16 contributions
Mar 2012 • Family
We hit the museum jackpot in Florence at Museo La Specola: the oldest scientific museum in Europe with collections dating back to the seventeenth century. It’s a manageable size for an afternoon visit with a somewhat dusty yet charming assembly of taxidermied creatures – including a hippopotamus that was formerly a Medici family pet! But La Specola’s most famous and spectacular displays are life-sized anatomical wax figures modeled from dissections of real cadavers by eighteenth century Florentine sculptors. They were created for the purpose of medical study with glass eyes and human hair wigs. Naked, realistic and gruesomely beautiful, they lie on tattered silk cushions staring out from their glass cases. Art students sit and draw them for hours.
Not for everyone but perfect for families with kids who like creepy, crawly and weird stuff!
Buy a Firenze Card for admission to La Specola and all the other great museums....
Not for everyone but perfect for families with kids who like creepy, crawly and weird stuff!
Buy a Firenze Card for admission to La Specola and all the other great museums....
Written February 3, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ariana A
Atlanta, GA45 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
So lucky to wander in here... This museum was both my dad's and my 15 year old brother's favorite museum in Italy. An awesome collection of oddities- from room after room of hundreds of leering stuffed animals (I hate stuff like that usually but its just so strange here that it became interesting) and- perhaps one of the highlights of our whole trip!- the wax anatomical models. Wow, you MUST see these things... they are INCREDIBLE. Frightening but in a beautiful, relatable way. Kids, adults, teenagers... You'll all love this. And it's covered under the Firenze pass.
Written August 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David R
Christchurch, New Zealand53 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
Hundreds of beautifully made wax anatomic models from the 18thC. Hard to believe they are manmade, all the nerves and vessels are perfect. Some models are quite gruesome. The other part of the museum has taxidermied specimens of pretty much every animal on the planet.
Nobody else was there. Cheap to get in.
Nobody else was there. Cheap to get in.
Written May 31, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StudentInBoston
Boston, MA84 contributions
Dec 2012 • Friends
This is another of those "not for everyone" museums that was perfect for my group. The bulk of the museum is zoological specimens in the very traditional display style. (My favorite part was the insects section.) The most famous specimen in the place is the hippo; it was the pet hippo of the Medici family well over 300 years ago. The other famous part of the regular collection is the wax medical models. While they were fascinating, I couldn't stomach looking at them for long. Additionally, there's a special exhibition on of crystals. It's an extra fee, but worth it. The collection is focused on large display crystals, making a spectacular exhibit.
As La Specola is the oldest natural history museum in Europe, it's a significant sight for those into the history of science, but I wouldn't call it a must. I think kids would find it just alright. It's a little far from the center, but on a nice day it's a pleasant walk over the river and past Pitti Palace.
As La Specola is the oldest natural history museum in Europe, it's a significant sight for those into the history of science, but I wouldn't call it a must. I think kids would find it just alright. It's a little far from the center, but on a nice day it's a pleasant walk over the river and past Pitti Palace.
Written December 15, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RomanticTravelers888
Middletown, DE147 contributions
Jun 2011
Very cool! We spent almost an hour with the special exhibition on crystals, even watchinng the video about Rhodochrosite mining. There were a few hundred amazing crstals on display--very beautiful. The progression of hundreds of preserved animals on display, from insects and shells, to birds and all sorts of mammals was fascinating. Be prepared for the wax models of human dissections, unlike any other I've seen. It was very interesting, and can be uncomfortable since the dissections often depicted people, with faces and hair, who appeared to be still alive unlike morgue scenes. We tried to visit the "stuffed animal" museum in 2008 but it had closed at 1:00 and we were late, so we were very happy they had longer hours.
Written June 30, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harry G
Liverpool, UK172 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
Children were literally in awe. Huge collection of taxidermy and was frightening as much as just - wow. Not quite sure how I feel about it. Was so sad but at the same time was....
Written August 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katherine R
Paris, France4 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Never overcrowded, never any lines at the ticket counter, never disappointing.
This is my favorite museum in Florence. La Specola is unapologetically weird, creepy, and a bit dusty. The taxidermy is as offputting as the anatomical wax figures, which is the fun of this lovely old museum. Not to be missed is the hippopotamus that was sewn up by someone who had, evidently, never seen a hippopotamus in their life and make sure you take a good look at the orangutan, whose face is one of the most unnerving things I've seen in my life.
This is my favorite museum in Florence. La Specola is unapologetically weird, creepy, and a bit dusty. The taxidermy is as offputting as the anatomical wax figures, which is the fun of this lovely old museum. Not to be missed is the hippopotamus that was sewn up by someone who had, evidently, never seen a hippopotamus in their life and make sure you take a good look at the orangutan, whose face is one of the most unnerving things I've seen in my life.
Written May 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marziomartel
Rome, Italy374 contributions
Feb 2019 • Couples
The Natural History Museum of Florence is one of the most fascinating places I've ever seen! Its collection includes a splendid series of anatomical wax models produced by the Florentine wax-making workshop, the oldest in the world, and an amazing collection of animals, insects, minerals, plants and other creatures of land, sea and air, some of which are now extinct!
It is really a museum that can entertain adults and children and will let you discover many interesting things.
Currently the natural history museum is divided into three locations: “La Specola” with the collections of wax models and animals; “La Pira” which is the botanical garden and “Palazzo Nonfinito” which houses the ethnological and anthropological collection.
All three are extraordinary, but if you don't have much time I recommend La Specola!
The visit of the ancient ceroplastic collection is only with the guide and there is one every hour!
Marzio from Rome
It is really a museum that can entertain adults and children and will let you discover many interesting things.
Currently the natural history museum is divided into three locations: “La Specola” with the collections of wax models and animals; “La Pira” which is the botanical garden and “Palazzo Nonfinito” which houses the ethnological and anthropological collection.
All three are extraordinary, but if you don't have much time I recommend La Specola!
The visit of the ancient ceroplastic collection is only with the guide and there is one every hour!
Marzio from Rome
Written April 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lachlan A
Sydney, Australia
The website suggests that their are currently renovating the museum is it still possible to view the exhibits?
Written September 9, 2019
Sorry for my late reply
From 1st of September the museum has very important renovation works
I do not know if all museum is closed or only a part
Enrica
Written December 4, 2019
Salve, c’è qualcuno che sa dirmi se i cani sono ammessi?
Grazie
Written May 5, 2019
Buonasera
Io non ho notato nessuna specifica però vista la delicatezza di quanto esposto Soprattutto la collezione sull’anatomia umana Le direi di no
Di certo è meglio chiamare prima di arrivare lì e dover rinunciare alla visita
Written June 2, 2019
E' possibile comprare il biglietto d'ingresso on line?
Written May 6, 2017
Spiacente nn lo so, ma tengo a precisare che è un museo non frequentatissimo, per lo meno rispetto ad altre attrazioni, vedi Uffizi;) quindi l'accesso è molto comodo ed io personalmente avendo la Firenzecard ho solo convalidato l'ingresso.
Written May 20, 2017
When visiting this museum is it possible to combine it with entering Boboli gardens?
Written July 8, 2016
gpratesi
Prato, Italy
Yes. You have to go to the ticket office of Pitti Palace and buy the ticket for Boboli Garden and Specola Museum. Remember, you can get to the Specola Museum from the Boboli Gardens, but you can not vice versa.
Written July 10, 2016
gpratesi
Prato, Italy
Quello più vicino è il parcheggio Oltrarno, in Piazza della Calza 1. Dista 10 min a piedi dalla Specola ed è in assoluto quello più comodo per visitare questo museo.
Written July 10, 2016
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