Curious Expeditions' Journal

From the Voyage Vaults, Object No. 29

March is insect month here at Curious Expeditions in celebration of our group art show, Entomologia, up until April 4th at Observatory!

La Specola in Florence, Italy, is most famous for its world class collection of 18th century wax anatomical models. But Europe’s oldest science museum (open to the public in 1775) also has an incredible collection of taxidermy and specimens. This marvelous museum is often found empty, even in Florence’s most crushing tourist months, when the lines to see the David last for blocks.

The museum’s collection began as the personal wunderkammer of the Medici family. Grand Duke Peter Leopold, embracing the Enlightenment, decided to open this private collection to the general public – men and women, rich and poor – no one was to be excluded from indulging in scientific curiosity. In a time when cabinets of wonder were private and restricted to the upper crust, those could afford the time and money to engage in exotic collecting, this the Grand Duke’s novel idea inspired other institutions to open their doors to the public.