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Geology and Paleontology Museum: A Journey Through Earth's History

Explore Earth's ancient past at Florence's Geology and Paleontology Museum, home to a vast collection of fossils and geological treasures.

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Explore the fascinating world of fossils, minerals, and the evolution of life at Florence's Geology and Paleontology Museum. Part of the Natural History Museum, it boasts an impressive collection of over 300,000 specimens, offering a glimpse into Earth's distant past.

A brief summary to Geology and Paleontology Museum

  • Tuesday 9 am-5 pm
  • Wednesday 9 am-5 pm
  • Thursday 9 am-5 pm
  • Friday 9 am-5 pm
  • Saturday 9 am-5 pm
  • Sunday 9 am-5 pm

Local tips

  • The museum is part of the University of Florence's museum system; consider a cumulative ticket to visit other museums like Anthropology and the Botanical Garden.
  • Check the museum's website for temporary exhibits and special events.
  • The invertebrate fossil section is open by appointment only, so book in advance if you're interested.
  • Note that the museum is closed on Mondays, January 1, Easter, May 1, August 15, and December 25.
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Getting There

  • Walking

    From Piazza del Duomo, walk northeast along Via dei Servi. Continue onto Via Giorgio La Pira. The museum will be on your right. The walk is approximately 10 minutes. No costs involved.

  • Public Transport

    From Santa Maria Novella train station, take bus number 23 towards Sorgane or Nave A Rovezzano and get off at the Galleria degli Uffizi stop. From there, it's a short walk to the museum. Bus tickets cost around €1.50 and can be purchased at Tabacco shops, magazine stands, or directly from the bus driver.

  • Taxi

    Taxis are readily available throughout Florence. A taxi from Santa Maria Novella train station to the museum will cost approximately €10-€13 and take about 7 minutes. Taxi ranks are located near main sights and the train station.

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Discover more about Geology and Paleontology Museum

The Geology and Paleontology Museum in Florence, a section of the city's Natural History Museum, invites visitors to journey through the history of life on Earth. The museum's collection, one of the most important of its kind in Italy, began in the 18th century and was expanded by the Medici Grand Dukes and the Lorraine family. It moved to its current location in 1925. The museum boasts over 300,000 specimens, including animal and vegetable fossils, fossil imprints, and rock samples. Highlights include skeletons of two large mastodons discovered in the Valdarno. One is an Anancus arvernensis, an elephant with long tusks, and the other is an Archidiskodon meridionalis, a large male elephant. Visitors can also see the skeleton of Oreopithecus bambolii, an anthropoid monkey found in Maremma. The museum's layout guides visitors through Italian paleontological history, starting with stromatolites from the Precambrian era. Exhibits showcase the evolution of horses and the paleobiogeography of the Mediterranean region. The modern "Sala della Balena" features a 10-meter-long whale skeleton in an immersive marine setting. The museum also houses a collection of fossil invertebrates, including trilobites, ammonites, and mollusks, available for viewing by appointment.

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