Milan Attractions

Venue: Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology    When: Daily; not Mon

Milan's Museum of Science and Technology is a treasure trove of gadgets, inventions and wizardry. Divided into 28 sections, it offers explanations on topics as diverse as information technology, engines and astronomy.

The gallery containing the original drawings for more than 15,000 ideas for inventions by Leonardo da Vinci is unmissable - many have even been reproduced as models to give a 3D experience to his fertile imagination.

The Renaissance in Italy centred on the Tuscan city of Florence and was a fevered period of artistic and scientific endeavour. Da Vinci was at the heart of it all. He designed machines to build churches, palaces and fortresses, to wage war, to manufacture goods and to transport them.

Ideas that he pioneered include the helicopter, the armoured car, the eight-barrelled organ, a machine for storming walls, the parachute, a contraption to allow walking on water and even the humble paddle boat. His work laid the foundation for many of the theories behind hydraulics, mechanics, optics, flight and the understanding of anatomy. This was in addition to his activities as a musician, a painter (he painted the Mona Lisa after all), architect and sculptor.

The museum is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about this incredible man. The Leonardo da Vinci gallery is located in the Monumental Building, a former Olivetan monastery which dates back to the early 16th century.