Museo di Zoologia

About the museum

The Museo di Zoologia of the Sapienza is one of the oldest scientific museums in Rome. Its origins go back to the early 19th century, with the zoological collections of the Archiginnasio Pontificio linked to the chair of Natural History and Mineralogy established in 1804. Made independent by Pius IX, in 1853 it received its own director and a home in the Palazzo della Sapienza, in three halls with display cases arranged in the style of a cabinet of curiosities.

Under the direction of Antonio Carruccio (1883-1914) the museum sought to become a true scientific centre, with faunal research on the Roman territory, educational work for schools and a guide published in 1888. The premises, however, always stayed the same, and for lack of funds, staff and space the collections left the university. After several moves, in 1932 an agreement between the University and the Comune brought part of the collections to the Museo Civico di Zoologia at the Giardino Zoologico.

From the 1960s the Institute of Zoology built up new collections through faunal research in Italy and on other continents. In 1977 the holdings of the Istituto Nazionale di Entomologia were merged into it, and in 1979 the museum section was established. Today the entomological collection comprises about three million specimens, including the Lepidoptera collection of Count Federico Harting; collections of vertebrates, arthropods and molluscs are also kept.

Highlights

• About three million insects, butterflies and beetles
• Lepidoptera collection of Count Federico Harting
• Entomological drawings
• Collections of mammals and birds from Lazio and the Western Alps
• Collections of fish, amphibians, reptiles and small mammals from the Mediterranean

Permanent exhibition

• Collezione entomologica e collezioni zoologiche – Insects and other animals collected over decades of faunal research, including the Harting collection and entomological drawings.

Operated by

Sapienza Università di Roma – Polo museale

Director

Carlo Rondinini

Admission & discounts

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The museum is at Piazzale Valerio Massimo 6, at the Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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