The origins of the Institute date back to 1871, when, at the initiative of the Commune of Pisa, a Technical-Industrial School was founded, which was divided into two institutes in 1886: the Industrial School, supported by the Commune, and the Technical School, financed directly by the State. After various changes, the School was reorganised in 1926 as the Royal Industrial Technical Institute, assuming the structure it still retains today.

The Institute has a collection of teaching instruments and scale models (about 1,000 items), datable starting from the early 20th century. The collection includes three airplanes, topographical instruments, telephone stations, instrumentation for technical aeronautics, and mechanical shops. In the courtyard of the Institute is a space dedicated to the earliest instruments (about 100 pieces), displayed in glass cases. A stainless steel equatorial armillary quadrant has been fabricated by the school's staff.