Teatro delle Scienze
Natural history museum and planetarium in the centre of Alessandria, with collections of minerals, fossils, birds and butterflies, open on Sunday afternoons.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Teatro delle Scienze is a city museum that brings together in a single display the Museo di Scienze Naturali (Natural Sciences Museum) and the Planetarium with astronomy laboratory. It is run by ASM Costruire Insieme for the Municipality of Alessandria and is part of the network of museums of the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali in Turin.
The visit begins with a video on the origin and evolution of the Earth and continues along a route among rock samples, minerals and fossils to observe and touch, with reproductions of volcanic eruptions. The collections include mineralogical and palaeontological finds from the Alessandria area, including a fossil mammoth molar, a large ornithological display case recreating day and night habitats, and a transparent cylinder with butterflies from around the world. At the centre of the room a scale model reproduces the river environment of the province; an eco-acoustic project accompanies the route with the sounds of nature.
In the Planetarium, with a fixed dome and the Digistar Lite digital system updated in 2023, the night sky, constellations and astronomical phenomena are projected. Activities are run together with the Gruppo Astrofili “Galileo” (Galileo amateur astronomers’ group). A teaching room offers simulations of planetary motion, eclipses and tides.
Highlights
- Digital planetarium with a celestial vault of about 6,500 stars
- Collections of minerals, fossils, birds and butterflies
- Fossil mammoth molar found near Alessandria
- Diorama of the Alessandria river environment
- Tactile panels for visitors with low vision
Permanent exhibitions
- Museo di Scienze Naturali – Mineralogical, palaeontological, ornithological and entomological collections, with a diorama of the Alessandria river environment.
- Planetario – Digital planetarium with a fixed dome showing the celestial vault, and an astronomy teaching room.
- Operated by
- Comune di Alessandria (gestione: ASM Costruire Insieme)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3.50Ages 12 to 18, over 65s, university students with a card up to age 30, groups of at least 12 people |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Free admission for children under 12. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their companions. |
| Groups (12+ people) | €3.50 per personReduced ticket for groups of at least 12 people. |
| Guided group visit by booking | €50Plus the admission ticket (reduced for more than 12 people, standard for fewer than 12). |
| Extraordinary opening | €25Plus the admission ticket. |
| Sunday with activities for children | €2Per participant. |
Free admission also for journalists registered with the professional order, Torino Musei subscribers and holders of the Museo Banca di Asti voucher. Educational workshops for schools cost €2 per participant, with free admission for teachers and accompanying adults.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Entrance with ramp and a toilet for people with reduced mobility; for visitors with low vision, tactile panels on the museum and astronomy laboratory topics are available.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 11 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Some rock, mineral and fossil samples can be touched. On Sundays, activities for children are offered at €2 per participant; there are also meetings and workshops for families.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided group visits by booking; educational workshops for schools and Sundays with children’s activities. Bookings: +39 0131 234 266 or serviziomusei.0222@asmcostruireinsieme.it. |
