Florence’s science museum, reopened in June 2010 after renovation and renamed Museo Galileo, within six months was awarded one of three prestigious “best mu- seum” prizes by ICOM Italia, the national committee for museums. The prize, for best management was awarded due to “the high-quality
scientific staff, experienced management personnel, its historic non-profit status, and the participation of many agencies and institutions which make it an effective model of museum organization and sustainable management”.
I decided to road test the museum, and after scoping out its website, realised it would be a great place to take my kids. They have a program called “Florence for Family” each weekend until the end of June which has a series of 90 minute guided visits specifically catering for “children over the age of six”. However we didn’t take the tour option, but just vis- ited the museum.
Museo Galileo is home to the only surviving instru- ments designed and built by Galileo himself. It is also the repository for the priceless scientific collections of the two dynasties that once ruled Florence: the Medici and the House of Lorraine. On display are more than 1,000 instruments and devices of major scientific importance and exceptional beauty.
While the focus of the entire exhibition is Galileo, the lay- out of the museum on two levels divides the collection by period, with The Medici collections on the first level. These bear witness to the
scientific culture of Galileo (and his contemporaries) and the tools he designed and made, including two of his telescopes. The second level houses the instruments and ex- perimental apparatuses acquired by the Lorraines in the 18th and 19th centuries, demonstrating the powerful stimulus provided by Gali- leo’s discoveries to the develop- ment of the physical and mathemat- ical sciences in the modern age.
The museum has a brilliant interactive website in English and Italian, which is well worth view-
ing before your visit, as it describes the gallery layout and the 18 themed rooms. Also highly recommended at the museum itself is the €5 audio-visual guide which explains every item in the collection as well as its inventor/builder. The guide automatically senses which room of the museum you are in, and when you enter the exhibit number, the information is displayed on the screen. Some of the more complicated models and experimental devices have a short video explanation as well. All of the information on the guide can also be seen on the website. Unless you are a serious science expert, most of the exhibits just look like funny gadgets that probably have some obscure function. This is why the audio-visual guide is indispensible – providing information on the period of the discovery / invention as well as its creator. Even with the guide, my two youngest children (aged 6 and 9), were quickly and soundly bored after just a couple of minutes. There were several exhibits that did interest my nine year old, but there wasn’t a great deal in if for him. However my two older children (aged 12 and 14) were absolutely enthralled and loved the visit. Many of the items, once explained on the guide,
brought relevance to material they had al- ready studied at school. While my visit was shorter that I would have liked ow- ing to the need to remove my disinter- ested and distracting younger children, I thought the museum was exceptional. It successfully demonstrates how astro- nomical, scientific and mathematical concepts evolved, and the power of
man’s imagination. What is notable, apart from the creativity and evolved thinking is the extraordinary craftsmanship of
the instruments, especially given their age. The museum is sleek, stylish, and thoughtfully laid out allowing excellent viewing of
each exhibit. Not to be missed is the room sized Ptolemaic armillary from 1588 (a model of the solar system showing planet Earth as the central orb), Galileo’s original telescopes as
well as one of Galileo’s fingers. The museum is a fitting tribute to the man who was clearly one of the world’s greatest original thinkers, who challenged the ac- cepted thinking of his time, took on the Catholic Church and was excommunicated and lived out his final years under house arrest.
Museo Galileo, Piazza dei Giudici 1, 50122 Florence, tel. +39 055 265 311; web: www.museogalileo.it Opening hours: Daily: 9.30-18.00, except Tuesdays 9.30-13.00. Entrance fees Full fee € 8,00; 7-18 years old, or over 65 years old € 5,00. 0-6 years old free access. Family ticket (2 adults + max 2 children under 18) € 20,00. Also Group Rates.
Tag: Tuscany tours
What to visit in Certaldo
Originally an Etruscan-Roman city, Certaldo was a fief of the Alberti counts until conquered by the Florentines in 1184. Certaldo’s importance slowly grew under Firenze. The town, is divided in an upper part called “Rione Castello”, surrounded by fortification walls that enclose medieval surroundings, and a lower, modern and industrialized part.
Certaldo, was the home of the family of Giovanni Boccaccio, who died and was buried here in 1375. His house was restored in 1823 and transformed into a specialized library with sections devoted to his life including translations of his works.
The Palazzo Pretorio, the residence of the Florentine governors, recently restored to its original condition, has a picturesque facade and court adorned with coats of arms, and in the interior are various frescoes dating from the I3th to the 16th century. Palazzo Pretorio is the highest building in town and offers a nice view over Certaldo. Outside is a facade decorated with heraldic shields while the inside includes a prison, the quarters of the Vicar and his family, and rooms formerly used as the seat of government.
Charming Itineraries around Tuscany
Tuscany is certainly one of the most beautiful regions in Italy. There are many things to see and lots to do across the region, from visiting hilltop villages to the seaside, from the mountains to the beauty lanscapes of the Valdorcia. For this reason we’re suggesting an itinerary for what to see and do in Tuscany if you have 7 days, recommending the cities, towns and activities that you cannot miss during your holiday in Tuscany.
These are of course just general recommendations in order to help you plan your next vacation in Tuscany. Driving is definitely the best transportation to use to move around Tuscany, but it’s not the only one.
Florence Day 1 & 2
Florence has so many things to offer.
There are must museums and monuments that cannot be missed such as the Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Signoria with Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio (famous Old Bridge) and Piazza Duomo with the Cathedral, the Baptistery and Giotto’s Bell Tower.
If you are going to stay 2 days in Florence we have more detailed suggestions.
Pisa and Lucca Day 3
Pisa is certainly renowned for the famous Piazza dei Miracoli, home to the Leaning Tower and the large Duomo, baptistery and Camposanto.
Lucca is a small Venice without water, enclosed within its huge Renaissance walls which are fun to do on bike. The historical city center deserves a visit, inclusing its peculiar shaped oval-shaped Piazza dell’Anfiteatro.
Chianti and San Gimignano Day 4
In Chianti, visit Greve in Chianti and its particularly shaped square, Panzano and its ancient center, Castellina in Chianti and its scenic walls, Gaiole and its massive castle, Radda and its ancient walls. We have a more detailed itinerary in Chianti if you want more ideas.
Furthermore there are many wineries and farms that produce good Chianti wine. Known and esteemed worldwide, Chianti’s intense color and pronounces taste can be enjoyed at many small estates that do not export their excellent wines outside of Italy. Most wineries offer local products and wine tastings. They often organize tours of their wine cellar to let you discover the secrets of this ancient Tuscan tradition.
Siena and Monteriggioni Day 5
Siena is definitely another medieval city in Tuscany that deserves to be visited. The city center is gathered within the ancient walls and holds many beautiful monuments and museums. First of all the Piazza del Campo, famous for its particular shell-shape and for the Palio of Siena. The Palazzo Comunale and Torre del Mangia overlook the square.
The Duomo stands majestically, a precious example of Romanesque-Gothic style in Italy with its commesso’s marble floor, the Baptistery and the Church of San Domenico. View our itinerary for a day in Siena for more information.
Val D’Orcia and wine tastings Day 6
Val D’Orcia, or Valdorcia, is another famous region in Tuscany for its stunning landscapes and good wine.
Gentle hills, spotted by dark cypresses or yellow sunflowers, make this region the perfect postcard to send back to your friends and families. It offers plenty of cities and villages that merit a visit, starting from Montepulciano, Montalcino, Pienza, San Quirico D’Orcia as well as the small towns of Bagno Vignone, Buonconvento and Radicofani.
Cortona and Arezzo Day 7
The city of Cortona become very popular after the book and then film “Under the Tuscan Sun” came out. It is a small town whose origins go way back to the Etruscans. The center is built around the main square of Piazza della Repubblica, over which Palazzo Comunale looks over.
Here you should visit the Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano), that displays a beautiful Annunciation of Cortona by Beato Angelico, and MEAC (Museum of Etruscan Academy of Cortona) that holds important Etruscan and Roman findings.
Don’t miss the Basilica of Saint Francis with the stunning frescoes depicting the Legend of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca, the Church of San Domenico displaying the wooden Crucifix by Cimabue, the magnificent Loggias by Vasari in Piazza Grande and the Archaeological Museum Clinio Mecenate.
Tuscany of course is much more than this. These are just a few suggestions and ideas to get you started on planning your first visit to Tuscany.
Guided tours in Italy
Guided tours in Italy: Concerts in Piazza dei Miracoli
This September, The Anima Mundi International Festival of Sacred Music in its Tenth edition has stunning program.
Sir John Gardiner will again conduct seven concerts covering five centuries of sacrd music.
Seven staggering performances of masterpieces, new music and rediscoveries for the pleasure of our ears and heart, ranging from the Vespri della Beata Vergine by Claudio Monteverdi to the music of the young Girolamo Deraco, winner of the 2010 composition contest sponsored by Anima Mundi.
From September 15 through October 1 we can hear music by Monteverdi, Gesualdo, Pergolesi (so much admired by J.S. Bach), Pasquini and Cherubini as well as the music that J.S.Bach, Igor Stravinsky and Sergej Rachmaninov wrote and dedicated to these Italian composers.
Some concerts will be held in the Cathedral, others in the Monumental Cemetery. On September 18 in the Monumental Cemetery Anima Mundi proposes Le Jongleur de Notre Dame by the English composer Peter Maxwell Davies, based on a medieval legend of a juggler entering a convent and having nothing else to donate to S.Mary’s statue than his skill. It contains a message of tolerance and acceptance just right for today.
The various interpreters are represented by instruments and children are expected to take part. The Vespri by Rachamaninov, authentically interpreted by the Moscow State Chapel Chorus will close the festival on October 1 in the Cathedral.
All seven concerts are free and start at 21.00. Tickets available from two days before the concert dates.
Web site: www.opapisa.it
Italian itineraries
Lastra a Signa
Old and ancient, Lastra a Signa in Tuscany derives its name from the Lastra dei Gangalandi family who held the fiefdom. But its history goes back to the year 1000 when the Cadolingi di Fucecchio lords held Lastra a Signa under their rule. Lastra a Signa is positioned at a strategic point right in the middle of the Arno Valley. Having access to the sea, Lastra became a focal port for Florence and Pisa. The city center stands on the foundations of the fortifications built on Mount Cascioli and Mount Orlando. Lastra defended itself against continuous sieges against Florence and Pisa. In 1377, the town of Lastra was encircled with town walls and a crenallated tower.
Enclosed by its medieval walls and the gates of Pisane and Bacchio, the Saint Mary Church built in 1404 is in the middle of Lastra. The lovely works of art are still preserved in the church displaying a painting by Francesco Conti named “Saint Rocco in Glory” and another painting portraying “Our Lady”, that dates back to the 14th century. You can also find a memorable work that portrays Podestà’s Tabernacle with a fresco dating back to the 16th century with “Our Lady with the Child between the Saints John Baptist and Francis”. The Praetorian Palace in Lastra a Signa still has the emblems of the Podestàs on the walls. The breathtaking Villa di Bellosguardo or the villa with a beautiful view in Lastra was owned by the famous tenor Enrico Caruso. The lovely Renaissance Villa Bellosguardo was earlier owned by the Marquises Pucci and was renowned for its fabulous architecture. As you enter its elegant doorway, you will find beautiful rooms with soaring vaulted ceilings, grand staircases, frescoed friezes and deep pink velvet upholstered furniture. Ornate in structure with rich and varied architecture, the gorgeous Ballroom leads to the refreshing Orangerie that is striking with fantastic views. Historical and artistic, Lastra a Signa is famous for its ancient churches, villas and country homes of the nobles of the Middle Ages and a retreat of the rich and the famous through the Renaissance period.
Lastra a Signa opens out her beautiful countryside with the stunning colors of Tuscany. As the eye traverses the rich scenery, the famous Villa Pandolfini comes into view with its lush private forests. This beautiful castle dates back to the 1200s and was built by the Medicis for their family and friends who loved to hunt. Later, the Pandolfini family owned this lovely villa and also another historical one called ‘Le Torre’ that was a walled castle from the 1300s. Agnolo di Filippo, who was a great friend of Cosimo de Medici, lived at Villa Pandolfini for 12 years. It was here that he wrote his historical dialogues on the governing of the family. He died in 1446 at the age of 86. In 1434, Filippo’s nephew renovated the villa with fabulous architecture with the date, 1488, engraved on its wall that portrays the time of the completion of the renovation.
Created with stunning architecture with a linear concept, the harmony and space have been balanced to please the eye and deliver an aesthetic sense. The famous architect, Benedetto da Rovezzano executed the renovation with a keen eye for detail displaying beautiful carved windows, a lovely loggia, excellent stonework and free flowing lines. The Villa has been host to several personalities including Napoleon, King Carlo VIII of France and King Charles VIII of France.
The early 1800s saw the Pandolfini family selling their antique villa to the Samminiatelli family. They in turn sold the villa to the De Prat family who had returned after their exile from France following the Revolution. The estate ranges over a huge area of private forests, vineyards and olive groves. Tranquil, stunning and spacious, the villa is just 10 minutes away from Florence. The Villa showcases antiques, frescoed ceilings, a lovely loggia and an amazing Renaissance garden. With elegance and an air of mystery surrounding the Villa, inviting paths lead to beautiful walks, an outdoor dining area and a tranquil ambience. The Villa Pandolfini is vantage starting point for great excursions into the heart of Tuscany. The estate produces extra virgin olive oil and typical Chianti wine under detailed and careful supervision.
The Villa Pandolfini basks under the Tuscan sun and is adorned with frescoes, mirrors with gold gilt, terracotta floors and elegant columns carved in stone. Decorated beautifully, the rooms are bedecked with silk curtains, ornate fireplaces and a beautiful antique crystal chandelier. The Villa was originally built as a hunting lodge for nobles of bygone days and is a fabulous retreat just a few miles from Florence. The gallery kitchen is a work of wonder with its enormous fireplace and an old marble sink. The Villa Pandolfini is a work of art, a picturesque getaway and enhances lifestyles with a rich and royal air.
Web site: www.comune.lastra-a-signa.fi.it