Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia
Section of the Natural History Museum of the University of Florence with large fossil mammals from the Valdarno, a whale skeleton and collections of fossil rocks and plants.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is part of the Sistema Museale di Ateneo of the University of Florence and holds the geology and palaeontology collections of the Natural History Museum. The collections have their roots in the natural curiosities gathered in Medici Florence in the 15th–17th centuries and over time have preserved a great scientific and cultural heritage.
The collections include fossil aquatic and land fauna, vertebrates and invertebrates, fossil plants, rocks and the Strozzi collection, displayed in a single room. The museum is best known for the large mammals of the Plio-Pleistocene from the upper Valdarno.
Among the most important pieces are a fossil whale skeleton (balenottera) excavated in 2007 and recently acquired, and Eozoon canadense, the oldest specimen in the collection, regarded as the most famous pseudofossil in the history of geology. The museum is laid out on a single ground floor with no architectural barriers.
Highlights
- Large Plio-Pleistocene mammals from the upper Valdarno
- Fossil whale skeleton excavated in 2007
- Eozoon canadense, the famous pseudofossil from Canada
- Strozzi collection in a dedicated room
- Tactile route with Braille labels
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso espositivo di Geologia e Paleontologia – Route with large fossil mammals from the Valdarno, a whale skeleton and collections of fossil rocks and plants.
- Founded
- 1845
- Operated by
- Università degli Studi di Firenze – Sistema Museale di Ateneo
- Visitors per year
- approx. 24,284
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Children and young people aged 6 to 19, over-65s, residents of the Metropolitan City of Florence, certain categories of students, graduates of the University of Florence with an AlumnUnifi card, and other categories |
| Children & teens | €4free up to age 5 · Free admission under 6. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their companion. |
| Students & apprentices | –Free admission for students of Tuscan public universities. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –For groups of more than 9 people the educational services must be contacted in advance. |
| Families | €20For 1 or 2 adults with up to 4 children. |
| Combined ticket, valid for 3 months for four Florentine museums of the Sistema Museale di Ateneo (standard) | €24Reduced €12, family €40. |
Rates in force from 1 September 2026. Free admission also for University of Florence staff; the museum accepts the Firenze Card. Tickets can be bought at the museum or online.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials
- Audio description: no information
The museum is entirely on the ground floor, reached by a raised sloping pavement, and the rooms have no architectural barriers; there is a reserved parking space in the courtyard. A tactile route for blind and partially sighted people is available, with a card at the entrance and specimens to touch with Braille and high-legibility labels. The free digital guide offers texts in easy-read language and videos in LIS.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €20 · For 1 or 2 adults with up to 4 children. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities
The toilets include a small toilet for pre-school children, a changing table and a nursing chair. The museum offers activities for families and schools.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
San Marco · 3-min walk
T2 tram to the “San Marco” stop, then about 3 minutes on foot; buses on the lines serving Piazza San Marco.
By car
The museum is in the ZTL (limited traffic zone). The nearest paid car parks outside the ZTL are in Piazza Savonarola, Piazza della Libertà and along viale Spartaco Lavagnini and viale Matteotti.
- Accessible parking
On foot, about 3 minutes from Piazza San Marco, 9 minutes from Piazza della Libertà and 18 minutes from Santa Maria Novella station.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Lockers
Cloakroom near the ticket office with lockers; museum bookshop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The free digital guide offers audio tracks and texts in Italian and English, easy-read texts, LIS videos, animated videos and 3D models; it is advisable to bring your own earphones. |
