For only you 6 euros, you can learn about the history of how a battery was invented! Lots of…read moreinformation and beautiful views from upstairs gallery

The Tempio Voltiano was built in honor of Alessandro Volta, who is credited with inventing the…read moreelectrical battery (thus the terms volt and voltage), He was born and died in Como. The museum is dedicated to the scientist, and displays life memorabilia and a surprisingly robust collection of scientific instruments. It also provides the first version of the electric battery, which is surprising as it looks nothing like a battery! The neoclassical temple (museum) was built in 1927, 100 years after the death of the scientist, and was donated to the city by the industrialist Francesco Somaini. It is located on the shores of Lake Como, about a 20 minute walk from the center of town. I really like this small museum, which takes about an hour to tour. Most of the displays are in Italian, though you are provided with an exhibit card "cheat sheet" in English with the entry fee. The second floor was under renovation when we went, and not accessible. I thought it was well worth the short visit for the modest two euro fee.

A great museum that is perfect to do with children or by yourself. Audio tour available in multiple…read morelanguages. Kids interactive area. Many hands on exhibits. Covers the works of da Vinci with displays, touch screens and models. Really nicely done.

The DaVinci Museum is a must in Milan. Seeing his brilliance come to life in this exhibition of his…read moreinventions, many interactive, is an excellent representation of why he is remembered as an engineering genius as well as a painter. 45

Take a cruise or a ferry to explore Lake Como…read more We booked a day trip from Milan to Lake Como with Ciao Florence. The public ferry was an interesting experience. Our family was able to find a place to stand on the top deck and eventually find seats. Our tour guide and group were scattered all over the ferry which made it a bit disorganized. The ferry itself was amazing. The views were magical on a wonderful sunny Friday. When our guide finally located most of the group that had migrated to the top floor, he gave us a bit of insight into Villa Carlotta. The history is one with many families involved. Originally built on ancestral land by the Clerici family who became successful silk merchants. The country estate and gardens were built in the 1690s. As with many wealthy families, the great grandson spent too much money building an extravagant palazzo, the Palazzo Clerici in Milan, which forced his heirs to see their Lake Como villa sold to cover their debts. Over the next couple of hundred years, the property continued to exchange hands until it was eventually was converted to a museum and gardens by royal decree. Nice to be able to see it from the ferry. Maybe next time, we will have more time to explore the villa and its gardens.

What an amazing place! It's a museum and a garden, the bottom floor is a cool interactive museum.read more

The Villa Olmo is located in Como, Italy. According to various sources, the villa was commissioned…read moreby marquis Innocenzo Odescalchi in 1797. It was designed to be a summer retreat for the aristocracy, and was thus built alongside the lake. The city of Como acquired the villa in 1924. Both the villa and grounds were both open (at no charge) to the public during our stay. The villa is sparsely furnished, but still provides a great sense of the architecture of that period. The grounds are beautiful, and they are located directly on the lake, providing great views. There is a small snack bar with a great little deck on the lake, a great spot for a cappuccino or light lunch. If you're staying in the area, or visiting the historical area in town, it's a relatively short walk past the Volta Museum to the Villa Olmo.

Not a bad small aquarium. Some interesting exhibits. Infrastructure is a little in disrepair but…read moreanimals seem well cared for. Admission reasonable. You can get through entire facility in under an hour. Not a destination but if into aquariums, worth checking out.

This is a small aquarium on the edge of Parco Sempione. Being a 'land locked' city, I was surprised…read moreto find an aquarium here. The main level has a series of tanks containing different species and are great for very young children as the tanks sit on floor level. Outside, in the back, are a number of pools containing a variety of aquatic life including several turtles. There is a children's arts room on the upper level and a conference room where they were offering a slide show presentation in Italian. On the lower level was an art exhibit, based on sea life. Of course. It's a great day out with the kids and/or a good rainy day activity.