Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria (Museum of Natural History Giacomo Doria), Genoa

The Museum of Natural History Giacomo Doria offers an essential stop for nature enthusiasts and curious travelers alike. Established in 1867 and named after its visionary founder-the esteemed naturalist Giacomo Doria-it’s the city’s oldest museum. Its grand early-20th-century architecture, including a majestic double staircase and high-ceilinged exhibition halls, reflects both civic pride and scientific stature .

Inside this venerable institution lie nearly four to five million specimens spanning zoology, botany, geology, and paleontology-making it one of Italy’s most significant natural history collections. Visitors can wander through 23 meticulously curated rooms: from the sprawling mammals hall on the ground floor to specialized galleries upstairs housing birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, invertebrates, minerals-and even a giant cell installation.

Standout highlights include the fossil skeleton of an Straight-tusked elephant, the largest elephant species that inhabited Europe, and an astounding nearly 20-meter blue whale skeleton that washed ashore near Monterosso in 1878. The museum also boasts a world-class entomological collection with specimens discovered during Doria’s expeditions to Persia, Borneo, Red Sea, and Tunisia. Many species-like Doria’s tree kangaroo and Doria’s cave beetle-bear his name in recognition of his contributions to natural.