La Specola Museum of Natural History has reopened this week after 400 days of closure in a much awaited event to mark the 250th anniversary of the first opening of this science museum. This museum is important because it contributes to our understanding of the history of science, in particular of how the areas of minerology, anatomy and zoology were studied in the past. What was previously displayed in an interminable series of dusty wooden cases has now been updated, with areas of the collection that were in storage for a century now out in a spectacular setting ..read more

The end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 has seen enough important Florence Museum news to warrant a dedicated article. From the opening of the municipal collection’s deposits to an all-new Orsanmichele with extended opening hours, here’s what is happening in Florence’s museums this year. Turnover at state museums In 2014, then-minister of culture Dario Franceschini opened an international call for directors of the 20 most important state-run museums in Italy who were given independent status, allowing for the direct management of funds and faster decision-making for changes ..read more

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In 2023, I took a sabbatical. It wasn’t quite like a normal sabbatical, in that it didn’t take exactly one year, and I didn’t entirely stop working, nor did I study or write a book like an academic might, but I did step back from almost all of my duties at our communications agency, Flod, and, after finishing up with my primary client towards March, I managed to change the direction of my future work in the same company to be more in line with my values and physical needs ..read more

Naples and I were not immediate friends. When I first visited 25 years ago in a study abroad class, we were so severely cautioned and tutored against the city’s supposed criminality that we didn’t get to explore much. What we did see didn’t really appeal to me; I guess I was more of a Northerner, character wise. I returned a dozen years later leading my own study abroad group, with a desire to better understand the city but no particular love for it ..read more

Last year I abandoned Florence’s concrete suburbs and moved to the charming historical center of Fiesole, the Roman hill town that overlooks Firenze. Fiesole maintains a charming small-town vibe and its own city administration that rules over a wide territory that includes nearby valleys, but it’s neither crowded nor loud. Some fifty thousand tourists visit its museums each year, mostly in the summer months, but Fiesole has no mass tourism draws. It’s a nice place to live, but should you visit, or make Fiesole your home base while exploring Tuscany ..read more

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Back in 2015, Amazon launched a “made in Italy showcase”, which blossomed into a long-term collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Now, Made in Italy Days is an annual celebration that in 2023 takes place from May 29 to June 2nd, corresponding with the Italian Republic Day (June 2) which is also a holiday weekend in Italy. The collaboration is intended to assist Italian small and medium sized companies in adopting innovative solutions like e-commerce through training and promotion for the 2500 participating companies to date ..read more

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