Galileo, the guy from Bohemian Rhapsody

The first time I think I ever heard of Galileo was in Queen's song Bohemian Rhapsody. "Galileo, Figaro-magnificoo"  "He was a poor boy, from a poor family" Are you singing it in your head yet? Your welcome :) But of course, as I progressed in school I learned that Galileo was the father of modern physics! Galileo was born in Pisa but lived most of his life in Florence (from age 8 on). He is actually buried in Florence at Santa Croce Basilica and you may spot him as one of the statues outside in the courtyard of the Uffizi but did you know there is an entire museum located in Florence dedicated to Galileo? 



There are so many museums to choose from in Florence that I feel the Galileo museum is often overlooked and is definitely worth a visit even if you are not into science! You will often see La Specola or even the Stibbert museum on a list of "off the beaten path" things to see in Florence but they never mention the Galileo museum and I don't understand why! It's a bargain at 10 euro/person (less for students), there are no tourist crowds to contend with and tons to see! Located just steps from the Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio in Piazza dei Giudici along the Arno River, it can be hard to miss as there isn't a lot of signage however you will know when you are there when you see the monumental sundial.

Museo Galileo is home to the only surviving instruments designed and built by Galileo himself. The most important are two original telescopes and the objective lens of the telescope with which he discovered Jupiter's moons. More generally, the Museum is the repository for the priceless scientific collections of the two dynasties that once ruled Florence: the Medici and the House of Lorraine. The first floor's nine rooms are devoted to the Medici collections, dating from the 15th century through the 18th century. The nine rooms on the second floor house instruments and experimental apparatus collected by the Lorraine dynasty (18th-19th century), which bear witness to the remarkable contribution of Tuscany to the progress of electricity, electromagnetism, and chemistry. 



How often do you get to see telescopes from the 1600's? There is just some really fascinating stuff to see here and if you get burnt out on paintings at all the other museums in town, give this place a try. And for something that you will never forget, the skeleton of Galileo's middle finger on his right hand is on display here! It's his actual finger that was taken (along with a tooth!) in the 1700s when his tomb was moved from the back area of Santa Croce Basilica to the main room to take his rightful place among all the great Florentines buried there.  



The museum of Galileo also offers audio guides via an app, in-person tours, and a free downloadable walking guide available in 7 languages. Many museums, tourist attractions, and restaurants in Florence are closed on Mondays but the Galileo is open! So if you are looking for something to do on a rainy day, something truly off the beaten path, or if you find yourself in Florence on a Monday and need to fill up a few hours, this is a great choice; I promise you won't regret it! 



















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