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The science workshops belong to the Galileo Museum. From the history of the science of ice cream to the history of the potter’s wheel, from the chemistry of colors to the driving force of internal combustion engines, to the building of a telescope. The aim is to give voice to the craft activities of the region, to recover their memory and give birth to ideas for the future.
The initiative thus reaches its fourth edition: the appointments will take place over twelve days from Sunday, from January 15 to April 2, at 10:30 at the headquarters of the Museo Galileo in Piazza dei Giudesi 1 (3 euros plus entrance fee). Breakfast will be served to all participants. The Meetings course is organized in collaboration with Opera Laboratori and Unicoop Firenze, sponsored by the Municipality of Florence and the Florence Chamber of Commerce.
The program of “Science Workshops” is rich, with activities aimed at children (from 10 years old) and adults, and focused on restoring the memory of ancient craft techniques. During the workshops at the Galileo Museum – which last about 90 minutes – the participants will attend practical demonstrations and at the end they will receive a useful guide to be able to independently repeat the activities carried out. The aim of the course is to provide a kind of magnifying glass to new generations in particular in the scientific aspects and the physical and chemical processes that lead to the production of precious artefacts.
It begins Sunday January 15th at the Museo Galileo with “The Potter’s Wheel and Centrifugal Force” curated by Officina Ceramica and Bottega Pendolare. From prehistoric times until today, the use of the wheel continues to be the work of the master potter, who was able to shape clay with the skill of his hands, turning it into everyday objects. Activity participants will be able to learn about the historical development of this tool and try their hand at creating a small work.
New to this course at the Museo Galileo is the meeting dedicated to the “History and Science of Ice Cream”, organized by the Associazione Gelatieri Artigiani Fiorentini, scheduled for April 2 with Vittolio Bondi: the history of the birth of ice cream sees the Florentines as the heroes, who still today They are prominent both nationally and internationally because they have reached very high levels in the production of these delicacies. During the meeting, the history and development of the procedures that made the creation of this product possible will be recaptured, with particular reference to the experiments of immobilizing substances carried out between 1657 and 1667 by the Accademia del Cimento.
Reservations are recommended – for information and reservations: 055265311, [email protected]
Cost: €3.00 + entrance ticket
Discount for Unicoop Firenze members upon presentation of the member card.
Those who participate in three “Breakfast at the Museum” events pay only € 3.00 per person for the third. https://www.museogalileo.it/it/eventi-e-news/2396-colazione-al-museo-le-botteghe-della-scienza-2023.html
Appointment calendar for 2023 at the Galileo Museum
Sunday 15 January
The potter’s wheel and centrifugal force Sponsored by Officina Ceramica and Bottega Pendolare
The use of the wheel dates back to prehistoric times and still today a master potter, with the dexterity of his hands, molds the clay into exquisite everyday objects. Activity participants will be able to learn about the historical development of this tool and try their hand at creating a small work.
Sunday 22nd January
Lenses, glasses and binoculars Edited by Ottica Fabbroni
From the concave and convex lenses that Galileo used to build his telescope to correct optical defects. Ophthalmologist Fabbrone will explain the techniques of measuring vision and making lenses and eyeglasses.
Sunday 29 January
Color chemistry. The art of scaleola From the Bianchi family
Scagliola is a plaster obtained from selenite or moonstone, which is crushed and ground into a powder. The laboratory illustrates the different processing stages of the scaleola artifact with practical demonstrations and illustrative photographs. We will talk about the history, the technique, the materials used and how the Florentine family conducts and preserves art that was considered “lost” for a long time.
Sunday, February 5th
Precious telescope dress. Florentine Paper Workshop Curated by Francesca Vanini and Alina Kravciuk
The lab was devoted to creating paper with marble motifs inspired by the paint of some of the old telescopes kept in the Galileo Museum. Under the guidance of an experienced Florentine craftsman, it will be possible to go through all the stages of processing and create your own small masterpiece.
Sunday, February 12th
internal combustion engine. The new driving force of the nineteenth century Edited by Graziano Dainelli and Antonio Linari
Starting with the invention of Barsanti and Mattucci in 1854, we will try to understand how the internal combustion engine is made, the properties of its components and how they work. During the activity, an expert mechanic will completely disassemble an engine to show participants each component.
Sunday 19 February
Darkroom drawing by Stella Battaglia
Artists have long used the darkroom as a tool, between art and science, in the practice of painting reality as it appears. In the laboratory, the magic exerted by the image projected by light is experienced and the experiences of artists such as Vermeer and Canaletto, even those of the Impressionists, are traced back to the advent of photography.
Sunday 26 February
Great grandfather’s photo. Collodion wet photography by the Fotonomia Society
As in an old photographic studio, wet collodion photography is produced in a laboratory, according to technology established between the 1850s and 1880s. All processing stages are repeated, from recovery to development, from plate fixation to finish.
Sunday, March 5th
Blue world. Cyanotype technology Edited by Marco Berni and Daniela Vespoli
A meeting dedicated to cyanotype prints, one of the oldest photographic techniques. In the laboratory we discover all the steps that lead from the simple paper to the magic of evolution, when the image is created thanks to a chemical process catalyzed by light.
Sunday, March 12th
The art and science of gilding Edited by Chiara de Felice
The workshop, conducted by an expert from Opificio delle Pietre Dure, is dedicated to the use of gold leaf in Florentine craft workshops, starting with the shape of a gold club. After viewing the various gilding techniques and related tools and materials, there will be a practical test of applying gold leaf using gouache and lettering techniques.
Sunday 19 March
Wigs and makeup. era mirror Edited by Gerardo Filestrocchi
In the eighteenth century, the art of hairdressing delighted the ladies and knights of the courts across Europe; Real architectural masterpieces were created, which required wig-makers’ work hours and “sacrifices” of ladies. The activity will explain the history, tools and secrets of the trade of the oldest craftsmen’s workshop in Florence, that of Velestrocchi.
Sunday 26 March
stone painting. The ancient art of a Florentine seller From the Scarpelli family
From 16th century Florence to Scarpelli’s workshop, recognized excellence in the Florentine shop assistant tradition: the artist will show participants the materials, tools and working techniques of this ancient art that gives life to figures, landscapes, floral motifs and various subjects by exploiting the natural nuances of the stones.
Sunday 2 April
The history and science of ice cream by Gelatieri Artigiani Fiorentini and Vetulio Bondi
The meeting traces the history and development of the procedures that made it possible to create artisanal ice cream, with special reference to experiments carried out in the mid-seventeenth century at the Accademia del Cimento. The history of the birth of ice cream sees the Florentines as champions, who to this day still stand out internationally for their artisanal production.
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