Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1929 as the Museo provinciale di storia naturale (Provincial Natural History Museum), to house scientific material collected between 1871 and 1909 by Livorno naturalists for the Istituto tecnico “Amerigo Vespucci”. In 1944 a bombing destroyed much of the collections, and the museum reopened to the public in 1952.

In 1980 the museum moved to the 18th-century Villa Henderson, which also houses offices, a library and laboratories. The historic park includes a botanical garden devoted to Mediterranean flora, arranged by type of substrate, an ethnobotanical garden with ancient local varieties, and a seed bank.

Today the museum covers more than 7,000 m² across five exhibition sectors, including the Sala del Mare (Sea Room), devoted mainly to cetaceans, the Sala degli Invertebrati (Invertebrates Room), and the route on human evolution in the Mediterranean area. The offer is completed by the planetarium, a scientific library, an area for scientific and environmental education and a conference centre.

Highlights

• Sala del Mare with cetacean skeletons
• Sala degli Invertebrati
• Route on human evolution in the Mediterranean
• Planetarium
• Historic park with botanical and ethnobotanical gardens
• 18th-century Villa Henderson

Permanent exhibition

• Settori espositivi del museo – Five sectors over more than 7,000 m², with the Sala del Mare, the Sala degli Invertebrati, human evolution in the Mediterranean and the planetarium.

Founded

1929

Operated by

Provincia di Livorno

Visitors per year

approx. 61,340

Admission & discounts

The ticket includes access to all exhibition rooms (over 7,000 m² in 5 sectors) and a stroll through the historic park with the botanical and ethnobotanical gardens. Free admission also for military and police personnel, firefighters, teachers with a certificate of service, and employees of the Province.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to the regional tourism portal, the museum has lifts and ramps for every type of visitor and panels for partially sighted people; programmes are planned for people with autism spectrum disorder and with cognitive dementia. The museum's website has a section “Museo accessibile” (accessible museum).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The website has a section for children and families, with courses, activities and a family ticket.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum has a bookshop (MusMedShop), a scientific library and a conference centre.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit