Founded in 1990, the Museum originated from the collection of the Casentine lawyer and notary Carlo Beni, an amateur naturalist and historian, author of a well-known Guida del Casentino (guide to the Casentino) published in 1881. The collection includes no less than 173 different species of birds, all linked to the Casentine territory, represented by over 500 specimens. It was formed in the second half of the 19th century, with contributions from local hunters and bird-catchers. Thanks to Beni's contacts with Enrico Hillyer Giglioli, founder of the Italian Ornithological Collection at the "Specola" Museum in Florence, his collection was based on sound scientific premises. At present, the collection is housed in the Palagio Fiorentino.