Garden of Archimedes, Mathematics museum in Florence, Italy
The Garden of Archimedes is a mathematics museum in Florence where geometry, algebra, and physics are explored through hands-on objects and visual experiments. The exhibitions are spread across several rooms and are aimed at visitors of all ages.
The museum opened in 2004 following a collaboration between several Italian universities that wanted to bring mathematics out of academic settings. It was built around the idea that mathematical thinking has a long history worth sharing with a general public.
The museum takes its name from Archimedes, the Greek mathematician who lived in the 3rd century BC. Inside, models and devices show how his ideas still appear in everyday objects and buildings today.
The museum sits in central Florence and is easy to reach on foot from most of the city. Allow extra time if you want to try each interactive station without rushing.
One section of the museum displays historical tools that mathematicians used centuries ago to draw geometric shapes and measure angles. Some of these devices look more like a craftsman's tools than objects tied to theoretical thinking.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
