Museo di Storia Naturale – Collezioni di Chimica
Historic chemistry collections of the University of Florence in Sesto Fiorentino, with instruments, products and benches from the laboratory of Ugo Schiff.
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About the museum
The chemistry collections hold the scientific heritage linked to Ugo Schiff (1834–1915), a chemist of German origin who worked in Florence from 1863 to 1915 and whose discoveries, the Schiff bases and Schiff's reagent, are still used today in chemical synthesis and in medical and biological research.
Instruments, synthesis products and papers, together with the original benches of his laboratory, are housed in the Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, now in Sesto Fiorentino. Since 2008 the material has been studied and catalogued in the Chemical Heritage project, funded by the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. Since 2014 the collections have been part of the Natural History Museum of the University of Florence.
The display presents synthesis products dating from 1860 to 1915, a collection of around forty historical furnishings from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and around one hundred and fifty scientific instruments from 1800 to 1950. These include precision balances, gasometers, galvanometers, microscopes and 19th-century spectroscopes that still work. Equipment that arrived in Italy under the Marshall Plan is also on display.
Highlights
- Original instruments and benches from the laboratory of Ugo Schiff
- Schiff bases and Schiff's reagent
- Circa 150 historical instruments from 1800 to 1950
- 19th-century spectroscopes that still work
- Historical 19th-century laboratory furnishings
Permanent exhibition
- Collezioni di Chimica e laboratorio di Ugo Schiff – Instruments, synthesis products, papers and historical furnishings linked to the work of Ugo Schiff and to 19th-century chemistry.
- Founded
- 2014
- Operated by
- Sistema Museale di Ateneo dell'Università di Firenze
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission according to the museionline portal.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | To visit the chemistry collections, possibly including a laboratory experience, contact the collection's contact person (Prof. Pierandrea Lo Nostro, pierandrea.lonostro@unifi.it) or call to book. |
