From the Estense Astronomical Observatory to the Geophysical-Meteorological Observatory in the Ducal Palace of Modena

The aim of this poster is to present a valorization project of the historical Geophysical-Meteorological Observatory of the University of Modena, located in the great tower of the sixteenth-century palace of the Este Dukes, that now belongs to the Department of Engineering. This project is particularly relevant for the future re-opening of the Observatory to the public.The poster will give special attention to the role the historical Astronomical Observatory, created in 1826 by duke Francesco IV of Austria Este, played in the nineteenth century. The Observatory was at the cutting edge of astronomy in Europe at its time thanks to the instruments it had been equipped with, in particular those linked to the studies in optics led by Giovan Battista Amici. The instruments are still present in the Observatory, the most important of which have been recently restored. Special attention will also be paid to the activities of the Observatory after its transformation into a geophysical-meteorological observatory in 1897.The project envisages a first phase dedicated to the in-depth documentation of the collection of instruments and an experimental cataloguing of those objects, using national cataloguing standards in cooperation with the Central Institute for Cataloguing and Documentation of the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities. This will lead to the creation of a database, which will be made available through the website (http://www.museoastrogeo.unimore.it). The second phase of the project will focus on designing articulated visiting paths for the audience with specific attention to schools.