The Museum

The Prima Esposizione Nazionale di Storia della Scienza [First National Exposition of the History of Science] closed with a credit balance that allowed the organizers to convert the ground floor of Palazzo Castellani, in Piazza dei Giudici, previously utilized by the National Library. Here they set up the Museo Nazionale di Storia della Scienza [National Museum of the History of Science], which contained the library of the Istituto di Storia delle Scienze [Institute of the History of Science] and the memorabilia up to then kept at the Museo degli Strumenti Antichi [Museum of Ancient Instruments] and the Tribuna di Galileo, in Via Romana, loaned by the University of Florence. The Museum was inaugurated on 18 May, 1930 in the presence of Mussolini, who, accompanied by Garbasso, Ginori Conti and Corsini, placed at the entrance a plaque bearing the words "Museo Nazionale di Storia della Scienza". Governing this new institution was a board of directors formed of Piero Ginori Conti (representative of the donors and President of the Museum), Giorgio Abetti (representative of the Government), Giotto Dainelli and Luigi Rolla (representatives of the University) and Antonio Garbasso (representative of the City of Florence). Corsini was appointed director.

Galleria immagini

  • Table presenting the Castellani palace and the Museum's mission
  • Museum Guestbook, 1932
  • Mechanics exhibition
  • Rooms devoted to Mechanics and Electrostatics
  • Retorts
  • The Castellani Palace during the early 1930s