Natural History Museums in Italy
Natural history and marine museums with collections on animals, plants, minerals and the history of the Earth.
Lombardy (10)
Museo Civico di Storia Naturale
Osservatorio astronomico di Sormano
Villa Carlotta
Acquario civico di Milano
Civico Planetario Ulrico Hoepli
Kosmos – Museo di Storia Naturale
Museo civico di scienze naturali Enrico Caffi
Orto Botanico di Bergamo "Lorenzo Rota"
Villa Monastero
Museo delle Grigne
Tuscany (9)
Orto e Museo Botanico di Pisa
Giardino dei Semplici
Museo di Storia Naturale – La Specola
Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università di Pisa
Museo di storia naturale della Maremma
Orto Botanico Forestale Abetone
Museo di Antropologia e Etnologia
Orto botanico comunale di Lucca
Orto botanico di Siena
Sicily (4)
Campania (3)
Liguria (3)
Piedmont (3)
Emilia-Romagna (2)
Lazio (2)
Aosta Valley (1)
Apulia (1)
Calabria (1)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia (1)
Sardinia (1)
Trentino-South Tyrol (1)
Veneto (1)
Natural History Museums in Italy: Overview & Tips
Our guide lists 43 natural history museums in Italy, spread across 15 regions and 34 towns and cities. Most of them are in Lombardy (10), Tuscany (9), and Sicily (4).
At the city level, Florence (3), Milan (3), and Naples (3) lead the way – ideal if you want to see several natural history museums in a single day.
4 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs €8 at the median, and the middle half charge between €5 and €10.50.
14 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 27 offer dedicated programs for families, and 4 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 natural history museums in Italy
The best-known natural history museums in Italy
Museo Civico di Storia NaturaleNature · Milan
Orto e Museo Botanico di PisaNature · Pisa
Osservatorio Astronomico di CapodimonteTechnology · Naples
Forte di BardCastles & Palaces · Bard
Osservatorio astronomico di SormanoTechnology · Sormano
Villa CarlottaCastles & Palaces · Tremezzina
Giardino dei SempliciNature · Florence
Museo di storia naturale di Venezia Giancarlo LigabueNature · Venice
Museo di Storia Naturale Giacomo DoriaNature · Genoa
TiscaliArchaeology · Dorgali
Natural history museums in Italy with free admission
Natural history museums in Italy with programs for families
- Museo Civico di Storia NaturaleNature · Milan
- Orto e Museo Botanico di PisaNature · Pisa
- Osservatorio Astronomico di CapodimonteTechnology · Naples
- Forte di BardCastles & Palaces · Bard
- Villa CarlottaCastles & Palaces · Tremezzina
- Giardino dei SempliciNature · Florence
- Museo di storia naturale di Venezia Giancarlo LigabueNature · Venice
- Museo di Storia Naturale Giacomo DoriaNature · Genoa
Museo di Storia Naturale – La SpecolaNature · Florence
Acquario civico di MilanoNature · Milan
Wheelchair-accessible natural history museums in Italy
- Museo Civico di Storia NaturaleNature · Milan
- Forte di BardCastles & Palaces · Bard
- Giardino dei SempliciNature · Florence
- Museo di storia naturale di Venezia Giancarlo LigabueNature · Venice
- Museo di Storia Naturale Giacomo DoriaNature · Genoa
- Acquario civico di MilanoNature · Milan
Kosmos – Museo di Storia NaturaleNature · Pavia
Museo civico di scienze naturali Enrico CaffiNature · Bergamo
Museo Regionale di Scienze NaturaliNature · Turin
MUSE – Museo delle ScienzeNature · Trento
Natural history museums in Italy with the highest published visitor numbers
- Forte di BardCastles & Palaces · Bard
- Villa CarlottaCastles & Palaces · Tremezzina
Villa MonasteroCastles & Palaces · Varenna- Acquario civico di MilanoNature · Milan
Città della ScienzaTechnology · Naples- Museo civico di scienze naturali Enrico CaffiNature · Bergamo
Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università di PisaNature · Calci
Palazzo dei MuseiArchaeology · Reggio Emilia- Museo di storia naturale di Venezia Giancarlo LigabueNature · Venice
Orto Botanico di Bergamo "Lorenzo Rota"Nature · Bergamo
By region
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many natural history museums are there in Italy?
Our directory currently lists 43 natural history museums in Italy across 34 towns and cities.
What are the best-known natural history museums in Italy?
Some of the best known are Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Orto e Museo Botanico di Pisa, Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Forte di Bard, and Osservatorio astronomico di Sormano.
Which natural history museums in Italy offer free admission?
4 museums are free to visit – for example Orto Botanico di Bergamo "Lorenzo Rota", Monte Adranone, Palazzo dei Musei, and Museo di Storia Naturale Faraggiana Ferrandi.
Which natural history museums in Italy are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 10 are open, such as Orto e Museo Botanico di Pisa, Villa Carlotta, and Grotta del Romito.
Which natural history museums in Italy are wheelchair accessible?
14 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Forte di Bard, and Giardino dei Semplici. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit natural history museums in Italy?
A regular adult ticket costs €8 at the median, with prices ranging from €2.50 to €26. Children, students and families usually pay less.
Other categories: Art & Design · History & Cultural History · Science & Technology · Archaeology & Antiquity · Memorials · Castles, Palaces & Monasteries · Open-Air Museums · City & Regional Museums · World Cultures & Ethnology · People & Literature · Special-Interest Museums