Museo Astronomico e Copernicano
Museum of INAF, the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, at Villa Mellini on Monte Mario, with instruments, rare books and Copernican relics from Rome’s historic observatories.
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About the museum
The museum was founded in 1873, when the Polish scholar Artur Wolynski entrusted to the Italian government a collection of books, coins, paintings, medals, scientific instruments and letters connected with Copernicus, on condition that it be displayed in a place suitable both for scholars and for the public. The Specola del Collegio Romano (Collegio Romano observatory) was chosen as the site, and the holdings of the Specola and of the Campidoglio observatory, linked to the work of astronomers such as Angelo Secchi and Lorenzo Respighi, were also brought together there.
In 1938 the collection was moved to Villa Mellini on Monte Mario, the new seat of the Rome Astronomical Observatory, but it remained in crates for a long time. The museum reopened in 1973, for the 500th anniversary of Copernicus’s birth, after the objects had been restored. Since 2000 the villa has housed both the museum and the seat of the National Institute for Astrophysics. After years of closure for works and a debate about relocating it, the oldest core remained on Monte Mario, while the collections from the second half of the 19th century onward were moved to the Monte Porzio Catone observatory.
The holdings include instruments, rare books, archives, original documents and observation logs from the 16th century to the present. Among the best-known pieces are early editions of Copernicus’s De revolutionibus, Galileo’s Dialogo sopra i massimi sistemi, an Arabic astrolabe dated 1096 and a 17th-century telescope by Eustachio Divini. By appointment, the Torre solare (Solar Tower) and the Tower of the Prime Meridian of Italy can also be visited.
Highlights
- Early editions of Copernicus’s De revolutionibus
- Copernican relics from the Artur Wolynski collection
- Arabic astrolabe dated 1096 and historic astronomical instruments
- Instruments and logs from the observatories of the Collegio Romano and Campidoglio
- Located at Villa Mellini on Monte Mario
Permanent exhibition
- Collezioni storiche di astronomia – Instruments, rare books, archives and observation logs from the 16th century onward, with the Copernican relics of the Wolynski collection.
- Founded
- 1873
- Operated by
- INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kidsRecommended for ages 8+
Because of the nature of the collections, the museum recommends a minimum age of 8 years.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Booking required by the previous day (museo.oar@inaf.it or by telephone). Recommended minimum age: 8 years. |
