What to do and see in Tuscany, Italy: The Best Children's Museums

Archeological Museum from Prehistoric Age to the Renaissance.

Il plastico ferroviario permanente più grande della Toscana. 70mq di un mondo in miniatura. Area giochi per i più piccoli esterna ed interna. Area relax per video e cab ride.

The Museum of Natural History is one of the oldest and most important scientific museums in Tuscany. The building, previously a Camaldolese monastery, houses two centuries of acquisitions and donations. Collections of natural and historical specimens, period instruments and curiosities are displayed in nineteenth century style. The Museum is organised in four main sections and occupies the two floors of the building surrounding the central court, a large basement and an upper floor with attic. A specimen that has become the emblem of the Museum, the skeleton of a 15-metre fin whale, is on show in the courtyard.

Incredible Florence is an unprecedented journey through the 2000 years of Florence's history. An exciting, 40-minute-long multimedia production, conceived and produced by Crossmedia Group. In the unparalleled setting of Santo Stefano al Ponte, near to Ponte Vecchio, an immersive experience that is at once show and exhibition: the engrossing story of Florentine places, events, and great historical figures with their immotal works, becomes a unique opportunity to better know, understand and share as never before the incredible history of a city that is both a masterpiece and a world heritage site. Rich in special effects, 3-D reconstructions, multiple projections of images, and original filmed pieces, Incredible Florence gives audiences of all ages and origins, Italian and international, the opportunity to let themselves be led through the centuries, following a succession of different sensations. The exhibition area offers a complete and immersive use of multimedia, made possible by the exceptional visual impact of the images produced by the Matrix X-Dimension system, designed exclusively for this video installation. 24 laser projectors transmit over 40 million pixels onto the 11 giant screens of the impressive and striking set-up: just think that on the central and largest screen - 10x13m. (130 m2) - you will be able to enjoy a resolution 6 times greater than Full HD. The pleasant impression of the privileged experience of "being inside" a unique history is completed by the sound effects and the magnificent original soundtrack, composed for this purpose by the versatile musician Marco Lamioni, reproduced in extremely high quality by a state-of-the-art 3D audio system.

Over the years the Collection has grown so much, now reaching more than 243 models, that is has overtaken various collections in museums all around the world. Each of the machines in the Collection has been built using materials of the time being wood, metal, ropes and fabrics and interestingly, in the course of construction, many astounding mechanical findings have been revealed. Our research team has expanded over the years and now includes a really talented study group of scholars consisting of Historians, Engineers, Architects, Educators, Artisans and Craftsmen, whose expertise and knowledge has contributed enormously to improve the outcome of our scientific and historical research. The Collection has also been enriched with ‘Vitruvian Machines’, at least those we know of thanks to the writings of that great Roman Engineer of the first century BC., by other important ‘Greek-Roman Machines’ and some from the era of ‘Ancient Egypt’. Our research team also undertakes projects on behalf of third parties and is very proud of the rediscovery of the lost mechanism of Leonardo’s Robot and a new hypothesis for the motion of the Mechanical Lion. Of key importance to us is that the findings and rewards of our research and work is accessible for everyone to witness and enjoy. Therefore, in addition to The Collection being available to Museums, Art Galleries, Organizations, private exhibitions and for shopping mall displays, we’ve made provision for rental opportunities to smaller groups for School activities, Conferences and even Renaissance themed dinners.

The Museum of Scales, when art meets tecnology. The Museum of Scales was born thanks to the passion of Velio Ortolanian extraordinary collector who has provided a part of his unusual andsignifcant collection of scales and weights. His collection is one of the most important in Europe by type, history, and number of pieces. Inside the halls of the museum there are about 150 different objects that allow us to trace more than 600 years in the history of scales, from small Renaissance models to big industrial weighing machines of the 20th century. The theme of the museum, interactive and fun for children, leads to the discovery of ancient professions such as taxmen, money changers and industrial or agricultural activities such as breeding of silkworms. The ticket for the Madonna del Parto Museum also includes the entrance for this Museum.

The Leonardo da Vinci’s Museum is located in the heart of the city, very close to the Brunelleschi’s dome of the main Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore. At the entrance you will find the new bookshop, with a variety of interesting books, including our catalogue cured by Carlo Pedretti and a wide assortment of gadgets.Visiting the exhibition hall you can discover the world, the life, the works of the universally recognized as a worldwide Genius, whom secrets are still not yet completely revealed.Here you can also test the functioning of his most important projects and designs. You will admire inventions of an extraordinary visual impact, operating and life-size machines, such as the ” war machines ” with the great tank, or the “civil engineering machines” such as the Brunelleschi’s crane and the “flying machines“: you will then walk back through the ambitious dream of Leonardo’s life: the flight.In addition to his engineering projects you’ll find in a unique exhibition space, the reproductions of his most important paintings, including the Last Supper, the Mona Lisa and the Annunciation. A great opportunity to admire them all together and to compare them! The rooms of the museum are enriched with multimedia displays which will help you in understanding the functioning of the machines and making your visit even more enjoying.