La Specola in Firenze
I stumbled upon this article in my usual Sunday reading and couldn’t help but be intrigued. Sure, we have wax museums at home, and we’ve all heard of the famous Madame Tussauds in London. But the Museum of Zoology and Natural History, called “La Specla” in Florence was fasinating to me. Founded in 1771 by a Grand Duke of Tuscany, he wanted to display a large collection of natural “curiosities” acquired by several generations of the Medici, the founding father’s of the Renaissance and the rulers of Florence for many years. Located next to the Pitti Palace, this is certainly one of the museums NOT on your standard list of “to do’” while in Florence. But for those who are curious, a must see.
Below you’ll find an article from Wikipedia explaining a bit more about the history of La Specola, how it came about and why its so special. Check out this cool video to give you a better idea of what to expect:
http://www.geobeats.com/videoclips/italy/florence/la-specola
Taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Museum of Zoology and Natural History, "La Specola" is located in Florence next to the Pitti Palace. The name Specola means observatory, a reference to the astronomical observatory founded there in 1790. It now forms part of the Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze.
The museum has deep ties to history; parts of the collection trace back to the Medici Family. It is known for its collection of wax anatomical models from the 18th century.
The Imperial Regio Museo di Fisica e Storia Naturale (The Imperial-Royal Museum for Physics and Natural History) was founded in 1771 by Peter Lopold, Grand Duke of Tuscany. At the time of its opening, and for the first years of the 19th century, it was the only scientific museum of its kind specifically created for the public to view. It opened on 21 February 1775 to the general public.
Today the museum spans 34 rooms and contains not only zoological subjects, such as a stuffed hippopotamus (a 17th-century Medici pet, which once lived in the Boboli Gardens), but also a collection of anatomical waxes, an art developed in Florence in the 17th century for the purpose of teaching medicine.This collection is very famous worldwide for the incredible accuracy and realism of the details, copied from real corpses. Also in La Specola on display are scientific and medical instruments. Parts of the museum are decorated with frescoes and pietra dura representing some of the principal Italian scientific achievements from the Renaissance to the late 18th century.
The visit to this part of the museum inspired the creators of the Hollywood movie Hollow Man by Paul Verhoeven, especially in those scenes when the protagonist gradually turns from invisibility to visibility, first showing veins, then organs and muscles under the skin.