The Museum was founded in 1869 by the anthropologist Paolo Mantegazza who pursued the intent to collect the testimonies of human diversity: 18 rooms display prestigious and rich ethnographic collections, a document of great importance of the world's cultures.
There are objects of all kinds that illustrate the customs and traditions of various peoples: clothes, clothing accessories, ornaments and jewels; architectural elements, boats, idols and amulets; offense, defense and hunting weapons; tools for agricultural production, for fishing and for domestic life; home furnishing objects; musical instruments; liturgical objects of different cults; books, paintings and manuscripts. The oldest collections date back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. They come from the collections of the Medici family who gathered refined objects from the New World.
Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università di Firenze - Antropologia e Etnologia
Via del Proconsolo, 12, 50122 Firenze FI, Italia
The ticket office, the bookshop, and two exhibition rooms are located on the raised floor. The ticket office also serves as an information point and offers free brochures with an orientation map. The other 18 exhibition rooms are located on the first floor. Wheelchair users can call the staff ringing the bell, access the bookshop and the two rooms through a ramp, and the first floor via an elevator located in the courtyard.
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the ground floor, with access from the courtyard. For more information and to prepare a visit for audiences with special needs, it is recommended to contact the museum using the contact details provided in the box below.
This museum belongs to the network Musei Welcome Firenze who organises guided tours, workshops and meetings for all types of publics (information and reservtions at edu@sma.unifi.it).
