In the ancient Palazzo Bourbon del Monte in the town of Sansepolcro you will find the Aboca Museum, a magical little gem and the one and only museum of medicinal plants. To many, that may not seem an immediately interesting prospect but this beautiful place is stuffed with thousands of years worth of history, is in a stunning setting and has been expertly crafted to create something lovely.
Set up by the Aboca company, a market leader in the medicinal herbs sector, the museum was established to safeguard and promote the traditional use of medicinal herbs and extracts to promote good health. Most of the items in the museum hail from preexisting private collection of the Aboca company and the rest was purposefully purchased for the museum after it was opened.
Spread across 12 rooms in this charming 16th century palace, the exhibition, “Erbe e salute nei secoli” (“Herbs and Health Throughout the Centuries”), displays ancient tools and utensils used in mixing the herbs, recreations of historic workshops and over 100 medicinal plants. You can also visit the Bibliotheca Antiqua, a botanical library composed of about 2,500 printed volumes on alchemy, pharmacopoeia, natural science and ancient recipes.
Not quite your average museum in Tuscany but endless fascinating and a rich historic treasure trove, this incredible attraction is an absolute must for anyone who has found a vacation rental in Arezzo and is looking for things to see and do that are off the beaten tourist track.
Aboca Museum
Via Niccolò Aggiunti 75
Sansepolcro
0575 73 35 89
Opening hours:
April-September: 10am-1pm & 3-7pm
October-March: 10am-1pm & 2.30-6pm
Closed on Mondays
Tickets:
Adult/reduced: €8/4
