Scientific research
The Museum of Natural History of the Mediterranean carries out scientific research activities on its territory and at a regional and national level also thanks to collaboration with universities and research institutes in Tuscany and beyond.
The Museum has been recognized:
"Museum of regional importance" - (RT Decree no. 1454/2012)
“Ex situ flora conservation center” (CESFL) - (D.G.R. No. 808 of 01/24/2019)
node of the RIBeS national network
is registered in the National Research Registry - (Code no. C119001H)
The Museum's research activity programs derive from the functions of
- conservation and study of the natural and archaeological heritage;
- research on naturalistic emergencies of the provincial, regional and national territory with particular attention to the biodiversity of the Mediterranean environment;
- scientific dissemination and teaching of natural sciences and environmental education, training and updating of young people;
- conservation, enrichment and updating of all exhibition areas and collections
University students who apply can carry out degree theses and internships in the Museum's laboratories based on the various existing agreements with Tuscan universities (University of Pisa: Department of Agricultural Plant Biology, Department of Earth Sciences, Department of Biology; University of Florence: Department of Evolutionary Biology “Leo Pardi”).
Research activities currently underway concern the collection and study of the germination behavior of the seeds of the spontaneous flora of the province of Livorno, including the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, in particular Elba, Capraia, Gorgona and Pianosa.
Archaeological excavations are also currently underway on the island of Pianosa - Punta del Signal for which the Museum is a concessionaire from the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Tuscany.
Research activities in the area are supported by volunteer groups who contribute to increasing the museum's collections, sometimes even with new discoveries.