The University Museum System of Pavia

The University of Pavia has an old and prestigious tradition that has resulted in the creation of precious and interesting historical collections. The University Museum System was set up in January 2005 with the aim of bringing together all the Museums and Collections of the University of Pavia and to promote their conservation and enhancement. Among the museums included in the network of technical and scientific museums are:

• The Museum for the History of the University of Pavia that, through its three sections - historical, medical and physical - testifies both the history of the University and of the history of European science over the last four centuries, thanks to prominent personalities such as Alessandro Volta and Camillo Golgi.
• The Natural History Museum, founded in 1771 under the auspices of the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, retains a natural heritage of high scientific value and historical artifacts including almost 400,000 items, divided among the collections of zoology, comparative anatomy and paleontology. Among the more prominent examples, a pair of Barbary lions of the Napoleonic era, an ancient hippopotamus, two myological statues dating back to 1780 and numerous spallanzanian pieces from the eighteenth century.
• The Museum of Electrical Technology presenting the historical heritage of technical power and its impact on all aspects of daily life. The Museum’s heritage consists of the University collection, the ENEL collection and the SIRTI Spa collection.