Milan’s Natural History Museum began with a donated collection and later moved into a purpose-built museum in the city gardens. Its displays of fossils, minerals, and biodiversity continue a scientific institution founded through civic support for natural knowledge.
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The museum’s origin begins with two collectors rather than a royal cabinet. In 1838, Giuseppe De Cristoforis and botanist Giorgio Jan donated natural-history collections to the city, creating the first nucleus of Milan’s museum.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Milan’s Natural History Museum was founded in 1838.
- It opened to the public in 1844.
- The current museum building was designed by Giovanni Ceruti and built between 1892 and 1907.
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