Tours / Florence for Little Explorers: Dinosaurs, Crystals & Magical Gardens

Florence for young explorers of "gentle monsters": hippos, giant crystals, magical plants, dinosaurs, ancient gardens, and many other worlds to discover.

Take the opportunity to discover an unusual side of Florence, where a passion for science grows through engaging experiences dedicated to children, teens, and families.
The Natural History Museum of the University of Florence houses one of the most extraordinary scientific heritages in Europe. From 18th-century anatomical waxes to 16th-century herbaria, fossil skeletons to giant crystals, all the way to the largest inflorescence in the world, every collection tells a story of science, nature, and wonder.

Founded in 1775 by Peter Leopold of Lorraine as one of the first European science museums, it continues its mission today to preserve and showcase a unique heritage, making it accessible to everyone.
It also includes the "Giardino dei Semplici" Botanical Garden, founded in 1545 by Cosimo I de' Medici, which is among the oldest botanical gardens in the world (a place dedicated to the cultivation and study of "simples," the medicinal plants used for remedies at the time). It features around 6,000 plants from every continent and centuries-old monumental trees (such as a Taxus baccata planted in 1720 and an impressive Quercus suber).

Last but not least, the La Specola Museum reopened in 2024 following major restoration work.
This is where the Medici collections of fossils, animals, minerals, and exotic plants were brought together, alongside an incredible collection of anatomical and botanical waxes.
Located in the historic Palazzo Bini Torrigiani, just a stone's throw from Piazza Pitti, La Specola allows you to admire an extraordinary zoological collection featuring over 4 million specimens: from giant Galapagos tortoises to the white rhino, a mummified crocodile from ancient Egypt that arrived in Florence in 1828–29, a cast of a giant Japanese salamander that lived at the museum from 1875 to 1918, and a massive variety of fish and birds.
Among the highlights is undoubtedly the Boboli Hippo, an exotic gift intended for Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine. The animal spent several years living in the garden, and upon its death, it was taxidermied in a rather imaginative way by artisans who only had a vague idea of what the species actually looked like.

Book your visit and prepare to be amazed by a unique journey through nature, history, science, and art.

An experience sure to fascinate young and old, the curious, and science enthusiasts alike.