Experimental, Visual, and Print Practices in Early Modern Europe : the Accademia del Cimento and its Records

This issue focuses on the experimental, visual, and print practices associated with the Florentine Accademia del Cimento (1657-1667), the first scientific academy to make experimentation a core activity and to be supported by a public authority. Despite its brief existence and the lack of any formal documentation pertaining to its establishment and operation, the Cimento produced a remarkable amount of records during its ten years of activity. Indeed, the archives of the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze (BNCF) alone contain over 20,000 sheets, including correspondence, instrument descriptions, experimental reports, and illustrations relating to the Academy’s activities. The extensive collection of documents relating to the Accademia del Cimento is a valuable historical resource, providing insights into a pivotal period in the history of science in Europe.