ARCHIMEDES AND LEONARDO
MUSEUM

The museum has been totally renovated

An absolute cultural novelty: I, myself in conversation with you and my natural Tuscan heir Leonardo da Vinci.
This Museum is my true home: The home of Archimedes. The inventions you find on display here are mine and also of Leonardo, and they
are the result of important work carried out by a team of Sicilian designers. With
the scientific-technical guidance of the Florentine group ArtesMechanicae,
authentic working scientific instruments are created. Each reconstructed model
made from cedar of Lebanon is to be considered a unique piece because it is
made entirely by hand, with an unparalleled tactile finishings, achieved through
careful workmanship. The machines, also have the distinction of being interactive,
facilitating tactual and sensory exploration, and teaching how to properly “touch”
the details of the operating mechanisms. I value the fact that the Museum is open
to everyone and that the machines on display, can be a source of cultural

inspiration: we scientists have always been passionate about improving the
conditions of mankind’s life.
The Archimedes Claw, the Lever, the Catapult, are just a few of the inventions
dedicated to me, in what will be a multilingual museographical tour that will take
you back in time, from the 3rd century B.C. to the Renaissance period, when my
beloved colleague Leonardo da Vinci lived.
At the Archimedes and Leonardo Museum, we believe that the value of a visit
is not measured by the number of rooms or models on display, but more
importantly by the quality time spent together.
A place designed to provide an educational and interactive experience for visitors
of all ages, where science encounters the public in a shared, and active learning
context.
A unique place where adults and children can immerse themselves together into
the wonderful world of the inventions and discoveries of two absolute geniuses of
history, Archimedes and Leonardo da Vinci.

Visiting requires an eagerness to learn and a measure of patience.

The Museum is also conceived for younger children, with a focus on the
active participation of the whole family. During the visit, it is essential that
parents participate and collaborate with their children, guiding them in
understanding the scientific models and explanations. This is not only a place
where children can learn, but a space where parents and children can discover
the wonders of science together, confronting and conversing about inventions
that have shaped history. This family interaction enriches the experience, turning
the visit into a time of shared learning that stimulates both critical thinking and
curiosity.

Discover and Explore: Guided Interactive Tours in Our Museum
In our museum, all models are interactive and crafted to engage visitors, offering a
rich educational experience. However, to maintain the integrity and functionality of
certain pieces, some equipment requires careful handling. For those interested in
a deeper exploration and interaction with more models, we offer the option of
booking a guided tour with one of our operators. This option, currently available by
reservation and with an additional cost, allows for safe exploration of the exhibits,
featuring specific activities and detailed explanations that enhance the experience.

A Museum for All, but with Specific Rules
Our space is designed for everyone, but requires a respectful, patient and
constructive approach. By following the rules, visitors will have the opportunity to
have a unique and educational experience, where the quality of time spent
together becomes the truly added value of the visit.


Photo Restrictions: Protection and Safety, with an Exception
To ensure the privacy and safety of visitors, especially children, photographs are
not allowed in the exhibition areas. We do, however, make an exception within
Leonardo’s extraordinary Chamber of Mirrors, a unique and fascinating model.
In this room, visitors can take photographs privately, creating a special memory of
this reflective and impressive setting. This model, allows you to capture your
special moment, while still respecting the privacy rules of the museum.
A unique experience that embraces history, science, mechanics and physics.

The staging has been curated by the Teatro Stabile di Catania

GALLERY

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Dog friendly museum

Enjoy your visit here at the Museum with your four-legged friend as you have always dreamed. Pets are not only tolerated, they are welcomed and have access to the lobby and our courtyard, where they can enjoy a bowl of water and some recreation.

INCLUSIVE MUSEUM

No-one is excluded, the all inclusive exhibition is a resource for society.

The visits include a tactile exploration of some of the works in the museum’s collection and are directed to people with visual impairments (blind and visually impaired) and their caregivers. The visits are aimed at specific audiences, from children to adolescents and adults, and the focus is on the involvement and interaction of all participants, both visually impaired and sighted. The project stems from the desire to offer the community the opportunity to take part in the cultural process, interpreting the needs of different audiences and adapting the language accordingly to make the tour experience accessible to everyone. Our tours are aimed at adults and children who are deaf and will be led by a hearing guide accompanied by a LIS interpreter. Tactile tours reserved for the blind, where they are allowed to touch the works on display, because ‘seeing with your hands is possible’. A museum without barriers, because art in all its forms must be accessible. A museum for everyone, and not just for some disabilities, from Down’s syndrome to autism, but also for the able-bodied, who through a simple approach can break down their limitations and open up to a different way of experiencing art and science.

ARTESMECHANICAE

A new chapter in the long-running history of the Archimedes and Leonardo Museum in Syracuse.In fact, the facility located in the ex-convent of the retreat in Via Mirabella, in the heart of Ortigia, is now enriched by the collaboration with ArtesMechanicae, a prestigious research group engaged in the study of the history of science and technology, and characterized by an interdisciplinary approach that integrates traditional historiographical methods with tools of analysis, classification and visualization derived from engineering and computer science. At present the museum, therefore, relies on their expert scientific and technical advice, aimed at broadening the educational and cultural offerings of the facility. Not only that. Andrea Bernardoni and Alexander Neuwahl, with their extensive cultural background, join the museum’s Scientific Committee, thus continuing to be enriched by specialists from different fields.

Want to learn more?
Click here and visit the ArtesMechanicae website

THE ARCHIMEDES AND LEONARDO MUSEUM IS ALSO AN EDUCATIONAL SPACE FOR FAMILIES.

You will have an educational experience here at the Museum. The workshops began in 2015, when the Museum chose to complement the exsisting machines with the first small-scale interactive models. In 2019, the location in Via Mirabella 31 gets a makeover and is promoted as a hub and meeting place for families. A place designed to bring children closer to educational activities, where it is possible to combine discussion with practice, experimentation with didactics, attention and concentration with pleasure and learning. Within our facilities, we offer a new space for lessons, Children’s Museum; knowledge and learning through direct experience. Bringing children closer and letting them experience art in all its forms has a positive impact on their cognitive and emotional development, encourages creativity and expression, and helps develop communication skills. Watchword: experiment