Florence is like the birthplace of STEM, so when visiting here, going to the Galileo Museum is a MUST! Learning of not only Galileo, but his followers who came after him and the benefactors - the Medici family, was inspirational. It made me realize how bravery is foundational to how science evolves a society, and how essential loyal benefactors are to helping with the change. Truly amazing. read more

See all

In ancient times, to know the time, people used the sundial, a measurement tool based on the detection of the position of the sun. Sundials had a gnomon, the bar whose shadow marked the time on the dial. Standing outside the Museo Galileo near the Uffizi Gallery at the Palazzo Castellani in Florence, my partner, our friends, family member, and I stumbled on the Monumental Sundial on our way to find an establishment for lunch in September. Originally built in 2007, a tall bronze obelisk constitutes the gnomon of a modern sundial, which casts its shadow on the lines of travertine marble and brass flanked by the signs of the zodiac in glass and marble placed on the ground, indicating time and date. It was visually stunning. read more

See all

3.5 stars. A lovely museum and easy to pop into after visiting the Uffitzi. It's on the smaller side. Amazing to see so many pieces and they also had some fascinating models of foetuses at various stages of life. Very unusual and insightful. The staff could have been more friendly and weren't that welcoming on arrival. read more

Museo Galileo - Museums Near Me - Florence, FI

We came by the museum on a Thursday at almost 5 and there were very few people there. It might have been because the closing time was 6 pm. We asked the person selling tickets if she thought an hour would be enough to see everything, and she said yes. So we trusted her and she was right. We spent about 45 minutes walking around. It was cool to see all of the telescopes/gadgets/inventions they used back then, not only by Galileo but by other explorers as well. It was fascinating to see how they came up with the technology back then. After a while though, all of the telescopes kind of start to look the same. Maybe I just don't have the attention span for museums like these but I can see how someone could love it. read more

See all

So, after days of art, we decided to try to mix in some science! The Museo Galileo is included on the FirenzeCard and is a fabulous option for even a somewhat quick visit. This is another museum that wasn't terribly crowded. The exhibits were fascinating, and I think if I ever make it back here, I'd get the audio tour to learn a bit more about the items on display. There is some signage, but I think more detail would be interesting. read more

See all

While sophisticated people visit the Uffizi next door, I nerd out at the Galileo Museum. It's a small museum that takes about an hour to go through. There are telescopes, clocks, compasses, and globes from the 17th century. There is even *gasp* Galileo's middle finger preserved in a glass egg case. It is sticking up, as if it's trying to tell the Catholic church something. read more

See all

It is a good museum. A few eye openers for me given that I am a scientist. The "interactive room" was closed for renovations and were supposed to open it on June 2023. Still closed. That is the reason for the four stars. read more

See all

There is a lot to read in this museum. I downloaded the app which you may want to do before you get there with a better connection. You could spend the day there needing out, or an hour just gazing at all this interesting stuff. It's a nice reprieve from all the art and churches. Lest we forget that Galileo was persecuted for his belief... in facts.. I'm science. Hello America!! The church wouldn't even let him be buried in the church until 100 years later that they realized their mistake. read more

Museo Galileo - This looks like something out of a marvel movie but it's from the 1500s!! - Museums Near Me - Florence, FI

Galileo inspired engineers and scientists long past his time on earth, so there's machines, instruments, telescopes, and other science experiments that date up to the late 19th century. Not much of actual pieces of work from Galileo himself, but most paraphernalia are from the 16-19th centuries. This museum is great for kids or people who want to geek out on nerdy stuff. Otherwise you'll easily get bored and waste your 8€ admission ticket. If you are bored, the have free Wi-Fi though. My favorites include giant telescopes, old maps and globes, and all the physics related experimental machines. Too bad I we couldn't play with them though. read more

What a cool museum! Not far from all the other museums. So many devices and instruments from various sciences. Not even too crowded inside. read more

See all

Surprisingly cool niche museum. Really cool collection of antique tools and science equipment. Reasonably priced for quality of collection. Fairly decent videos talking about themes of rooms, but interpretive content on actual items is limited. App is hard to navigate. This is a museum worth checking out. read more

Galileo's tomb is in the Santa Croce church, a walking distance from here. Two stories of artifacts covering the tools of discoveries of the coming of age of science. Everything from exploring the world around us with the advent of globes, and surveying tools, to gazing to the sky with telescopes. The museum is filled with artifacts but aside from a Galileo replica telescope i didn't see anything else attributed to him. Understandably it's an evolution of science of the time where challenging views not in line with the church were risky. Even changes in warfare tactics (canons) required expectations of basic mastery of math from its operators and reconfiguring defensive walls built around castles. I found the medicine section with wax copies of various fetuses in wombs interesting. In the end It is ironically mundane to see globe after globe, various instruments, telescopes without a place to sit. Once you've committed to enter you're not sitting down until you leave. read more

We had tried to visit the museum on Tuesday, but it was closed in the afternoon, so we tried again on Thursday. The museum does house a nice collection of historically significant scientific instruments. However, the storytelling element could be better and with the interactive section closed we raced through the museum in 30-45 minutes. Quite interesting, but it could be much better. read more

I came here with my kids and they enjoyed the tour. I like how there is a specified path and even a kids guide, that points to one thing in each room you must see. There is a lot going on in each room and you could definitely spend all day here is you looked at everything. the staff was nice and gave my kids a toy to hang onto while at the museum. At my kids' ages 7 and 4, the end of the museum on the bottom floor was the best part. It was hands-on and allowed them to see and affect change in some of Galileo's theories. There was also an interactive area that involved an iPad, scanning certain exhibits and learning more about it on the iPad. read more

I've always been interested in science. Galileo Galilei was an astronomer, mathematician, scientist. The man was so great, they preserved his forefinger. (see photo!) SERIOUSLY. If you're an astronomy geek and want to see sundials, compasses, globes, go here. Chemistry nerds would be delighted to see Peter Leopold's chemistry cabinet from the 1600's. If you like history, go here. If you're coming from Ponte Vecchio and are seeking refuge from the passing storm, this is an amazing place for discovery. Ticket: €9 Not getting soaked from the rain: priceless read more

See all

THE TYPICAL EUROPEAN MUSEUM: -Paintings of Jesus dying. -Statues of Gods and Snobs -Paintings of Jesus dying, again. And again. And Again. Oh look, there're Mary too. -More Statues of Gods and Snobs -Paitings of Jesus dying, again, and again. Then some more. A few more. Opps, he dies in this one. And this one too... (REPEAT) Tony Stark, Shelden Cooper, Spock and I just absolutely loved this place! The Galileo Musuem is a breath of fresh air after see 8541 paintings of Jesus dying. The museum displays interesting scientific devices on Astronomy, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and more. Its amazing how smart these guys were back then...I left feeling like a complete moron with my measly bachelor's degree in Economics and History...ah well! As Spock would say..."Fascinating" read more

Museo Galileo - Galileo's middle finger! (I'm not 100% sure it was the middle one...) - Museums Near Me - Florence, FI

See all

Its a quick stop museum and it's great for all ages! I originally took it out of my itinerary but I'm glad that I found some time to come here! I There are really interesting trinkets here but I recommend to make your own research as to what you can find. The location in extremely convenient & easy to find. Side note: There is a small section at the end where you can physically play with some fun items. & it's picture friendly... read more

See all

Once you figure out how to use the recommended App Galileo, this is an excellent small museum, featuring many fascinating pieces from the 15th century and other periods. It is a great window into the development of science and technology. The App is an excellent tool for enchancing the experience. read more

I came here on a rainy Saturday morning and found the place very easy to find right off the river and close to the city center. As you enter, you have to pay a 9€ entrance fee which I thought was reasonable based on the items that are available to view. The history of astronomy, electricity and technical tools is very interesting. There is also free WiFi a free app to give more information on each exhibit. However, I would suggest that the app include more information on every item. The info that was available was very selective and not all inclusive. The birthing exhibit was interesting but a little random. I would suggest laying that out a bit more rather than just having one small section with some pieces. The best part are the globes...very informative on the history and evolution. Bottom line...if you are a science buff you would enjoy this museum. Don't expect a complete life story of Galileo but rather a museum on the history of different aspects of science. Expect to spend a couple hours here Pros Very good exhibit of electricity, astronomy and other aspects of science Great location and easy to find Very clean museum and bathrooms, great lighting throughout Wasn't crowded Cons Some of the exhibits lacked any information and should be added to the app Make the gynecologist exhibit more informative..the figures were very detailed and are worth showing but would be better to have more detail read more

See all

Randomly walked by the museum and decided to stop in and check it out. The museum itself was very empty, aside from a few tourist families and one school group. The museum is also quite small so you can do the whole thing in an hour. There are 2 floors but they have an elevator you can use. Cool artifacts and old science gear that Galileo used. The coolest part of the museum to me was seeing Galileo's fingers! read more

If you have a Firenze card (this place is free with it) or enjoy science this place is a cool little museum. I liked that there were lockers at the entrance, so I could leave my purse, for free. I can appreciate getting early bored with this place if you aren't interested in science. It has a lot of tools from the past, and they aren't really explained, just labeled. I knew enough to really appreciate what I was looking at, most of the time, and I appreciated seeing the changes of the tools over time. My husband commented that it would be cool if they took some of the items and let people play with them. We got to the end and found they had done just that. It was fun, but several of the pieces weren't functioning. It's a fun place, but not for everyone. read more

See all

A worthwhile visit after Uffizi and Academia Galleria. An escape that really makes you think, and takes you on a journey back in time through the centuries, highlighting the importance of science in our everyday lives. A fascinating discovery great for all ages. read more

Museo Galileo - Early armillary sphere - Museums Near Me - Florence, FI

See all

I really wanted to come here to see Galileo's middle finger. I know, I know. But I did get to see it and it was really cool! Other really cool things to see here are a wealth of scientific instruments from the post. There is also a section filled with wax sculptures depicting medical abnormalities and diseases. If you are into the sciences, it's really cool to see this stuff. Also, there is free WiFi! read more

Just on the far side of the Uffizi, with a small sign that you might miss, is the Museo Galileo. If you are remotely into science, history, old stuff, or things that are macabre, you should come here. The exhibits walk you through the development of science in the Western world, from telescopes and cartography to chemistry and medicine. They have all sorts of objects used for all of these various disciplines, dating back hundreds and hundreds of years. The signage explaining the various objects and exhibits is in both Italian and English, which is really nice. There are video screens here and there that give in depth explanations of how a particular instrument works, and some reproductions that you can try out yourself. And, they have two of Galileo's fingers. What?! If I can see the preserved body (or body parts) of a historical figure in a city to which I am traveling, my personal policy is to do so....so Museo Galileo was a must for me. read more

See all

We were walking around Florence seeing the many interesting places. We decided to check out this museum. It covers several floors and we ended up staying two hours. It is very well done and is certainly worth a visit. read more

Museo Galileo - Museums Near Me - Florence, FI

Like this often-overlooked museum nearby the famous Uffizi Gallery, science is often overshadowed by art when people think of the Renaissance. Yet like art, science too also flourished significantly during the Renaissance thanks to greats like Galileo Galilei and this museum is a good reminder that science is also an important aspect of the intellectual era! Located right by the exit of the Uffizi, Museo Galileo is an excellent break from art to explore the other important aspect of the Italian Renaissance. Sure the period is all the way back in the 14th to the 16th centuries, but you won't believe how sophisticated the scientific apparatus were during that time! This museum houses an impressive collection of various Renaissance-era scientific instruments such as astronomical globes that will make your office one look like a simple kickball and physics experimental machines that make your school lab look like Fisher's Price play kit. You don't need to be a science nerd to appreciate how advanced science was already centuries ago! This museum is compact and yet well-organized so that you will be wowed just by walking past all the Renaissance-era science in its physical form. Especially if you have a Firenze Card, I definitely recommend swinging by this antique science museum to explore the other side of the Renaissance! --- tl;dr version: 1) Well-organized museum that reminds about the science of the Renaissance 2) Impressive collection of scientific antiques 3) Compact and easy-to-explore even if you do not intend to read everything read more

See all

Let me first qualify I am NOT an ignorant American. I have been to museums all over the world and teach science to kids. I have a particularly intense interest in Astronomy. This museum when I saw it was a no brainier for me to walk in... I mean I am the guy who visited the William Herschel House in Bath, England. That said I found this museum to be rather lacking. It's not that it was terrible, just not really worth the nine euros to get into. Good: Their interactive displays were top notch. I think they were very cool, well done and even great for kids. Signage is in well translated English and they have Galileo's fingers if you are into that kind of thing. Bad: Nothing was really "wow". As much as I love science it really is just a museum of old scientific instruments. There is nothing that makes this place stand out and it comparable to a museum of half its admission price. Indeed had I spent half the price to get in I might be more OK with this place. Also they don't allow photos? I actually don't remember that as no one said anything to me and I got several... but if they don't that is lame. Bottom line: Too expensive for what it is. Not enough astronomy and time could be better spent in a city as awesome as Florence read more

See all

This is a great overlooked museum right next to the uffizi. Highly recommend. Easy does not take long to get through

An often overlooked museum nestling next to the Uffizi. Compact but full of wonderful surprises about this great scientist, Galileo Galilei. A collection of astronomical artifacts, telescopes, globes, planetary models etc etc. Well laid out and very well signed. An interesting few hours well spent. read more

Nonna went in just to waiste some time but game out inlightened. With 10€ you get to be in the same space with the most amazing gadgets ~some of them owned and used by mr. Galileo himself. Museum also introduced some household items of the citicens like globes, clocks, thermometers and a lot of scientic stuff I did not understand with my limited brain capasity. There must be something in the water in this city. Zanzara larvaes included. It is just 5.3 and those fuckers are on to me already. Great Pharao of the West Nile, do not put your curse on my head. read more

See all

This museum isn't just about Galileo, so it's somewhat misleading. But if you're at all interested in science and history, make a visit here. Takes about an hour and a half. They have free WiFi and an app you can download to follow along where you are. Galileo's fingers and tooth are on the first floor, room 7. I felt starstruck in front of it! His compass is also there. I wish they had his actual telescope instead of a replica. Would've been cool to see. The Galileo museum is obviously very overlooked, since it's adjacent to Uffizi, but it shouldn't be. It's cheaper, less crowded, has more diversity, and is a good reminder that science was also a significant part of the Renaissance. read more

I am not a science kinda gal by any means, nor do I really have any interest in it, but when I friend said she was the same and really enjoyed this, I was okay with checking it out. And for 9 euros, it wasn't breaking the bank either. It's a very nice museum, with an easy to navigate lay out and TONS of information. I think that's where it lost me. This is gonna bad, but I enjoy the science museums in American, because they make everything sound fun and exciting. and I like it that way when I deal with the sciences. I know, this sounds horrible, but it's true. While I understood the things that I was reading, it was a little dull. I mean, some of the old world maps were cool. And I have to admit, seeing what is believed to be Galileo's finger was interesting (sick, I know), you lost me at the many many thermometers. While it was a quick hour to walk through, if you were a real science buff, this could take you hours. That being said, it's probably for someone that's interested in this subject more than the casual, I like to see the static electricity ball make my hair stand on end, science person. read more

I'd like to make up for the ignorant American who posted last year. I think the Galileo museum is fantastic. Originally, I thought of attending a more well known Florence museum, but the line was massively intimidating. I wondered around some more and came across this museum. This outdoor display caught my eye and since I'm a former science geek, I sat and waited for the doors to open. They don't allow pictures, so you can leave your camera downstairs. They also took care of my large backpack. This museum features pieces from the Lorenzo and Medici family collections. You will gain a better understanding and appreciation for what our scientific and mathematic predecessors achieved. Here are my highlights from what I remember: terracotta birthing visuals, different sized globes, measuring devices, architectural tools. It's fun, fascinating, and you'll walk away with great appreciation for what our ancestors accomplished. read more

Some of what you'll see will make you think. Some will make you cringe. You'll see a variety of scientific instruments here - all beautiful and works of art. I really enjoyed my visit and was glad that I had a chance to see Galileo's scientific instruments and the instruments many other scientists used to advance our understanding of our world read more

For adults, this is quite an interesting place. It displays a very large collection of scientific instruments, maps, tools, and more from the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The highlight is a set of Galileo's telescopes. All very interesting. The limitations are that the "interactive" section for children is small and comes at the end, and the descriptions of instruments and manuscripts do not do much to put them on historical context or describe how they were used. I am the type to read every word, and I was left wanting more detail. My kids (7 and 4), in the meantime, were melting from boredom until we finally arrived in the touch-and-do area at the end. Also, expect a good number of Italian school groups shuffling through. read more

It is a neat museum where the boundaries among science, history, and art are blurred. As the presence on art in the form of religious painting, church fresco, and mythical sculpture is the overarching theme of Florence, this museum provides a refreshing break from that scene. The bulk of the collections came from two powerful families, the Medici and the Lorraine's. Parts of the collection demonstrated the extravagant craftsmanship in antique precision instrument, and parts showed the rudimentary yet progressive understanding of basic physics, astronomy, and optics. The collections on display were largely influenced by the families' personal taste and limited by their historical context. Therefore, while it was occasionally unclear why we were seeing what we were seeing, I reminded myself: the point was that rich families (once) invested lavishly in science (in present day, these families would probably have a Pininterest board called "I heart Science"). The Galileo Museum's claim to fame is Galileo's telescopes and his preserved middle finger. We didn't come here expecting to be thoroughly educated in the science history, but we came out feeling grateful and renewing our faith in science and humanity. read more

We came here around lunch time and it wasn't busy at all. Awesome museum without the tourists. It's not a big tourist spot like the Accademia Gallery or Uffizi Gallery, but it does offer a lot of cool and interesting inventions back in Galileo's days. read more

Maybe my review is slightly biased because I studied Physics and being able to see Galileo's devices (and even his fingers...) was a dream come true. This museum is recommended to those who like to see apparatuses and learn about how science has evolved because of experimentation. If you're a chemist or a physicist or any type of scientist, you won't regret your visit to this place. read more

Museo Galileo - I thought it was an urban legend, but alas! Galileo was truly despoiled from his fingers and you get to see them inside a glass. - Museums Near Me - Florence, FI

great museum for people interested in astronomy, science. Very close to Uffizi, easy visit. highly recommend if you have school age children. Great collection of microscopes. Also unexpected collection of obstetrics, models of various neonate presentations with cross-sections of uterus are a bit much for young children. read more

Wonderful museum, especially if you're involved or have interest of the different sciences. It goes through the history of Galileo, but the major theme was the development of instruments for science and how they were applied. It has a wide range of technologies covering physics, electricity, navigation, astronomy, and chemistry. Something else fun to do is taking your picture with galileo giving you the bird. Just the finger though. read more