Vatican Museums

On occasion of the International Year of Astronomy and of the fourth centenary of the introduction of astronomic observation, the National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF), the Vatican Observatory and the Vatican Museums have organized an exhibition. It falls under the patronage of His Eminence The Cardinal Secretary of the Vatican State, of the President of the Italian Republic and of the following institutions: Pontifical Council for Culture, Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Ministry for Universities and for Research.

Due to its scientific and historical approach, the exhibition is orientated on the history, functioning and evolution of the different instruments created by Man over ten centuries for the observation of the sky, for the location of the stars and celestial bodies. An important selection of the most precious and rarest instruments for astronomic observation, lent by many Italian observatories, will be on show for the public to admire.

All the items are part of the property of the INAF, and were created between the 11^th and 20^th century and are largely unknown by the general public. The visitor will also be able to admire other items belonging to the Vatican State, on loan from the Vatican Observatory, the Vatican Apostolic Library as well as other important works of art (paintings, celestial globes and earth globes from different periods) normally housed in the Vatican Museums or belonging to private Italian collectors.