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Museum of Natural History and Territory - Pisa in Tuscany

The Museum of Natural History and Territory, belonging to the University of Pisa originated as the Galleria, which was an annex of the Orto Botanico and founded by Ferdinando I dei Medici in 1591, even though the collection at the museum was begun even before the Galleria by Luca Ghini (1544-1554). Later the Museum was divided into two autonomous corps which, though housed in the same location, susequently began specializing in different fields of research relative to natural sciences. In 1776 Gian Lorenzo Tilli covered all subjects while in 1782 Giorgio Santi dealt with geology, minerology and zoology and Gaetano Salvi taught botany.

In 1842 we find Paolo Savi teaching zoology and comparative anatomy whereas Leopoldo Pilla teaches geology and minerology. Finally in 1874 Giuseppe Meneghini takes Pilla’s place teaching geology while Antonio D’Achiardi takes on the teaching post of minerology. Between 1823 and 1887 the Museum and its research laboratories experience a lively period of growth. It is thus that its patrimony of more than twohundred thousand items of great scientific value came to be, testifying four centuries of Pisan naturalistic research. The zoological, minerological and paleonthological showrooms, in their current location, are enriched and completed by a series of historical-architectural elements worth noting. Moreover nearly five hectares of the grounds surrounding the building are part of the museum: they present some typical aspects of tuscan farming along with a system for canalizing and keeping rain and spring water.

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