Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum, located in the prestigious Palazzo Pompei, is one of the main historical and architectural buildings in the city. Commissioned by the Lavezzola family between 1530 and 1550 and designed by architect Michele Sanmicheli, the palace was donated to the Municipality of Verona in 1833 by Count Alessandro Pompei to host scientifically valuable collections.

The museum consists of sixteen exhibition rooms, a library, laboratories, storage rooms, and offices, and is divided into four main sections: Botany, Geology and Paleontology, Prehistory, Zoology. The museum plays a fundamental role in scientific research and territory monitoring: among the flagship projects are studies on the presence and spread of microplastics in the environments of Verona; the study of ecological, evolutionary, and geological dynamics of the last underground glacial environments of the alpine and pre-alpine areas; and the monitoring of urban biodiversity and natural areas.

Of great significance are the rich natural history collections, dating back to the sixteenth century, evidenced by dozens of specimens from one of the first natural history museums in the world, the Calzolari Museum. Currently, more than five million zoological specimens and about three hundred thousand herbarium sheets provide scientists and enthusiasts the opportunity to learn about and study the rich biological diversity of our country and its evolution over time. In addition, there are the paleontological finds from Bolca, a unique collection in the world, and important prehistoric collections that allow for an increasingly precise reconstruction of the geological and anthropological history of our territory.
 
The museum is also very active in scientific dissemination, both for professionals with the publication of the Museum Bulletin, the Memoirs, and the series dedicated to paleontological research in Bolca, and for the general public with publications and offers of workshops and guided tours for schools and families.