Skip the Line: Galileo Museum Ticket in Florence
Description
If you are in Florence don't miss the new Galileo Museum, formerly Institute and Museum for the History of Science, dedicated to science and the famous Pisan scientist Galileo Galilei. See extraordinary pieces such as Galileo’s telescope, historic world maps and globes, and a series of surprising amusements such as machines that create optical illusions.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Institute and Museum for the History of Science is heir to a tradition of five centuries of scientific collecting, which has its origins in the central importance assigned by the Medici and Lorraine families to scientists and scientific instruments. The Medicean collection of scientific instruments was begun by Cosimo I (1519-1574), who housed it in the “Wardrobe” of the Palazzo Vecchio, known today as the "sala delle carte geografiche" (Map Room). With the foundation of the Accademia del Cimento (1657), inaugurated by Ferdinand II (1610-1670) and Leopold de\' Medici (1617-1675) for the purpose of conducting the experimental investigation of nature, the collection was enriched with new instruments designed mainly for thermometric, barometric, and pneumatic research. The Accademia was located in the Pitti Palace where all the instruments in the Medici collection were subsequently moved. After their decline during the Napoleonic occupation (1799-1814), the museum and its workshops were reorganized upon the return to power of the Lorraine Family. After the Unification of Italy, the collections were dispersed among several university departments. In 1922, thanks to the promoters of the "Group for the Preservation of National Scientific Heritage," the collections were rescued from abandonment. In 1927, thanks to their commitment, the Istituto di Storia delle Scienze (The Institute of the History of Science) was founded, with the goal of "collecting, cataloging, and restoring" the scientific collections. In 1929, the newborn Institute organized the First National Exhibition of the History of Science in Florence. In 1930, following the show, the University of Florence opened the permanent exhibition of the Istituto di Storia della Scienza at Palazzo Castellani to the public. It included the Medici-Lorraine collection of instruments. After the damage caused by the bombings that destroyed the bridges of the Lungarno at the end of the Second World War (1944-45), another hard blow was dealt to the collection by the flood of 1966. The instruments that were stored in the basement and ground floor of the Museo were seriously damaged. Thanks to international solidarity and the efforts of Maria Luisa Righini Bonelli, then-director of the Museum, it was possible to quickly carry out recovery of the instruments, reopen the exhibition rooms to the public, and focus again on library collecting and research activities.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Important note: you will be assigned an exact entrance time which will be the one you have to respect in order to make the visit. The time can be any time during the opening time and will be indicated on the voucher issued by the provider, within one business day from your booking request
- School/class bookings need to be made directly with the museum
- Access for visitors with disabilities: Visitors with reduced mobility can use the entrance in Lungarno Anna Maria de’ Medici, where they can call for assistance if required. The museum is entirely barrier-free.
- PLEASE NOTICE: Confirmed time is not always the same time you requested; museum automatically confirms the closest available time (any time) on the same date if requested time is sold out.
Reviews(71)
Complete rip off. We booked a date and time, which was confirmed. A day prior, they reached out to say the time was not available, could we go at an earlier time. I indicated that would not work for us and to please provide a refund. They have gone silent. I have submitted a dispute charge with my credit card company.
No reason to buy skip the line - everyone gets in the same line. Museum was fantastic. Interactive rooms were fun for granddaughter.
The museum is in a great location and very easy to maneuver. The lines are light and you can view the exhibits easily. Galileo's telescopes are amazing and the information on early medicine very enlightening. It's educational for young and old alike. You can tour the whole museum in less than half a day allowing for other activities. Highly recommended!
If you long science, I highly recommend. What’s really cool about this tour is that you go on your own pace. It gave us a chance to stop and read some of the most interesting things that I would have ever known without this tour. It’s a great blast from the past.
Straight in, zero queue. Interesting and informative. Clean and easy to walk round. Staff bit rude and didn’t really interact with us as in they didn’t even acknowledge us when at the entrance.
couldn't download the ticket, had to re buy at the door. do not recommend this service , at least for this museum
hello, we wonder about your experience, please describe what happened. Our customer service address is help@web95.it. we look forward to hear from you
I never received the tickets. Do not use this operator. I tried to contact them with no response. I’ll be disputing the charge on my credit card.
I was sadly not able to go to the Museo Galileo or the Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace because I was sick. It was the only day available for me to buy tickets before I left home in the US. I am very disappointed as I really wanted to see both the museum and the palace. Maybe I will visit Florence another day. Grazie
The Galileo Museum itself was fine - educational, spacious, and interesting. However, Viator did not send my purchased tickets in advance, only the voucher. The museum would not accept the voucher, as Viator does not have a relationship with them and so I had to buy new tickets at the tour, doubling my expense. Upon contacting them, Viator customer service was rude and not helpful, refusing to admit fault for not sending tickets, insinuating this was my fault although i never received tickets, and refusing any refund. It was an abhorrent lack of customer service.
This tour was cancelled with little notice instructing me to contact viator to get a refund. I can't find a way to do that on the trip advisor app - also unacceptable. I've spent a lot of $$$ with trip advisor. Not willing to risk any more hassle.
