National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci”
Photo: Shot specifically for the Museum representing — CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Housed in a 16th-century monastery, this museum showcases Italy’s largest collection of science and technology artifacts, including models of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions.
Planning your visit
Italy's national science and technology museum occupies a sixteenth-century Olivetan monastery in Milan, and its Leonardo galleries hold the largest collection of models built from his drawings anywhere — machines for flight, war, textiles, hydraulics and construction, realised in wood at full or working scale.
But the museum is far larger than Leonardo. Its transport halls hold ships, aircraft, trains and the submarine Enrico Toti, a Cold War vessel manoeuvred through the streets of Milan in 2005 to reach the site and now enterable on guided tours. Space, energy, materials, telecommunications and computing fill further pavilions.
The interactive laboratories are extensive and staffed, aimed at school groups but open to families.
It is genuinely large — the largest science museum in Italy — and a half day is a realistic minimum.
The Toti requires a separate timed booking. Allow three hours. Bookable options include entry with lab sessions. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci”?
National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci” is in Milan, Italy.
How long should I allow for National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci”?
Allow three hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci” in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
