La Specola, Florence

Name: La Specola
Address: Via Romana, 17, Florence, 50125, Italy
Telephone: +39 055 275 6444

#173 among attractions in Florence

Museum, Science museum

Gallery (12)

Map

Gallery

Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Daderot. / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Notafly / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Notafly / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Juliatyutereva / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Notafly / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / I, Lucarelli / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / Daderot. / URL

Facts and practical information

The Museum of Zoology and Natural History, best known as La Specola, is an eclectic natural history museum in Florence, central Italy, located 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. This museum is part of what are now six different collections at four different sites for the Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze. ()

Local name: Museo di storia naturale sezione di zoologia La Specola Coordinates: 43°45'51"N, 11°14'50"E

Address

Via Romana, 17Centro Storico (Santo Spirito)Florence 50125 Italy

Contact

+39 055 275 6444

Website

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Florence

Day trips

La Specola – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Palazzo Pitti, Porcelain Museum, Boboli Gardens, Brancacci Chapel.

~760 ftNE
Renaissance palace with art gallery complex
Palazzo Pitti, Florence
4 min walk • Palazzo Pitti, a grand Renaissance palace, stands as a testament to the rich history and artistic legacy of Florence, Italy. Originally built for the banker Luca Pitti in the 15th century, the palazzo was later acquired by the Medici family, who transformed it into the...
~1600 ftSE
Museum, Art museum, History museum
Porcelain Museum, Florence
8 min walk • Nestled in the heart of Florence, the Porcelain Museum is a hidden gem for those who appreciate the fine art of ceramics. Situated within the opulent Boboli Gardens, the museum is housed in the Palazzo Pitti's Casino del Cavaliere, offering a serene backdrop that...
~430 ftSE
Statue-filled Renaissance gardens
Boboli Gardens, Florence
3 min walk • Nestled in the heart of Florence, Italy, the Boboli Gardens stand as a magnificent open-air museum, showcasing the grandeur of landscape architecture from the 16th century. This historical park, sprawling behind the Pitti Palace—once the residence of the Medici...
~1830 ftNW
Museum, Art museum, Sacred and religious sites
Brancacci Chapel, Florence
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16th-century fort with city views
Belvedere Fort, Florence
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Gothic architecture, Museum
Vasari Corridor, Florence
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Palace
Palazzo di Bianca Cappello, Florence
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~1000 ftE
Obelisk
Boboli obelisk, Florence
5 min walk • The Boboli obelisk, previously called the Obelisco Mediceo, is an ancient Egyptian granite obelisk, which was moved in the 18th century from Rome to Florence, where it was erected in the Boboli Gardens.
~1200 ftN
Brunelleschi church with ornate interior
Santo Spirito, Florence
6 min walk • The Basilica di Santo Spirito is a church in Florence, Italy. Usually referred to simply as Santo Spirito, it is located in the Oltrarno quarter, facing the square with the same name.
~1730 ftNE
Church, Romanesque architecture, Sacred and religious sites
San Jacopo sopr'Arno, Florence
9 min walk • San Jacopo sopr'Arno is a church in Florence, Italy. The church was built in the 10th–11th centuries in Romanesque style. It subsequently experienced heavy modifications including the addition of a triple-arched portico.
~1410 ftN
Vernacular architecture, Palace
Palazzo Rosselli del Turco, Florence
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When is La Specola open?

La Specola is open:

Monday closed
Tuesday 9:30 am - 4 pm
Wednesday 9:30 am - 4 pm
Thursday 9:30 am - 4 pm
Friday 9:30 am - 4 pm
Saturday 9:30 am - 4 pm
Sunday 9:30 am - 4 pm

Which popular attractions are close to La Specola?

Nearby attractions include Tribune of Galileo, Florence (1 min walk), Casa Guidi, Florence (3 min walk), Boboli Gardens, Florence (3 min walk), San Felice, Florence (3 min walk).

How to get to La Specola by public transport?

The nearest stations to La Specola:

Bus

Piazza San Felice • Lines: 11 (2 min walk)
Santo Spirito • Lines: C3, C4 (3 min walk)

Tram

Unità • Lines: T2 (20 min walk)
Alamanni - Stazione Santa Maria Novella • Lines: T1, T2 (21 min walk)

Train

Firenze Santa Maria Novella (24 min walk)
Firenze Porta al Prato (28 min walk)