Institution of the INAF Museums Service Work-Group

Area:	Museum
Start:	1 November 2005
Description:	By decree of the Director of the Research Structures Department, Roberto Pallavicini Tesi, the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) Museums Service Work-Group has been instituted. Coordinated by Ileana Chinnici (INAF - Astronomical Observatory of Palermo "Giuseppe S. Vaiana"), the Group is formed of experts in the history of astronomy, conservation and museology: Fabrizio Bonoli (University of Bologna, Department of Astronomy), Marinella Calisi (INAF - Astronomical Observatory of Rome), Giorgio Strano (IMSS) and Valeria Zanini (INAF - Astronomical Observatory of Padua). The primary aim of the Group is outlining strategies for conserving, cataloguing and evaluating the considerable heritage of historically relevant scientific instruments belonging to the INAF. Such an heritage, housed in a number of astronomical observatories found all over Italy, is often connected to important personalities from the history of astronomy: Giuseppe Piazzi, Angelo Secchi, Giovanni Plana, Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli, etcetera. The most notable case submitted to the Group for examination is the Astronomical and Copernican Museum at the Astronomical Observatory in Rome. This Museum - closed to the public since 2000 - is located at the historic site of Villa Mellini, on Monte Mario, and includes a marvellous collection of about 500 instruments dating from the 11th to the 19th centuries.
Link:	www.inaf.it

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