Chemistry Museums

Chemistry is everywhere. But to truly understand it — to experience it firsthand and appreciate its impact on everyday life — there is nothing quite like visiting a Chemistry Museum.

Throughout Italy, museums, collections and exhibitions are dedicated to chemistry and its history. Often housed within universities, research institutes or historic laboratories, these places preserve a unique scientific and cultural heritage that inspires students, enthusiasts and future researchers.

This section provides information on Chemistry Museums in various Italian cities, with the aim of supporting the development of a national museum network dedicated to chemistry — an initiative promoted by the Senior Group of the Società Chimica Italiana (Italian Chemical Society).

Bologna

"Giacomo Ciamician"
Chemistry Collection

Pisa

Collection of Historical
Scientific Instruments
University of Pisa

Genoa

Chemistry Museum
Department of Chemistry
and Industrial Chemistry
University of Genoa

Rome

"Primo Levi"
Chemistry Museum
Sapienza University
of Rome

Palermo

Collection of Historical
Chemistry Instruments
University of Palermo

Turin

MU-CH
Chemistry Museum
Settimo Torinese

MiC's Virtual Catalog

Chemistry in Italy’s Cultural Heritage

The MiC Virtual Catalog is part of the General Catalog of Cultural Heritage maintained by the Italian Ministry of Culture, within the section dedicated to Scientific and Technological Heritage.

It includes over 1,070 entries related to chemistry, each accompanied by a detailed descriptive record documenting the nature, use, origin, and historical context of the item.

These records represent a valuable resource for scholars, teachers, students, and enthusiasts, providing a broad and well-documented overview of the instrumental, educational, and museum heritage connected to chemistry in Italy.

This tool is useful for:

Identifying historical chemical artifacts held in museums, schools, laboratories, and archives;
Exploring the geographic distribution of Italy’s scientific heritage;
Supporting research, outreach, and the preservation of materials of historical and scientific interest.

Explore MiC's catalogue

A project led by Prof. Luigi Campanella

MUSS - Museum of Historical Instruments

The MUSS – Virtual Museum of Historical Instruments is an initiative promoted by the Italian Chemical Society (SCI), conceived and coordinated by Prof. Luigi Campanella with the collaboration of a group of SCI members.

The project was created with the aim of rediscovering, documenting, and enhancing the instrumental heritage of Italian chemistry: historic scientific instruments, often hidden away in university laboratories, research centers, or industrial settings, which represent a fundamental part of the history of science in Italy.

Through a continuously updated digital catalog, the virtual museum collects:

Technical and historical descriptions of the instruments;
Images and contextual details;
Information on their origin and original use.

This is a patient and passionate endeavor combining scientific rigor with historical memory, intended to preserve and make accessible a valuable part of Italy’s chemical heritage.

Explore MUSS