Legions of Records: (re)sourcing the Accademia del Cimento

This paper examines the wide range of resources available to scholars studying the Accademia del Cimento, including manuscripts, printed books, scientific instruments and artefacts, a significant proportion of which have already been digitised and meticulously catalogued. It highlights the urgent need to integrate both textual and non-textual documents, as well as internal and external archival resources, through the application of advanced digitisation technologies. The paper begins with a comprehensive overview of traditional ‘internal sources,’ including key documents from the Galilean Collection and scientific instruments housed at the Museo Galileo. It then looks at strategies for enhancing and expanding these resources, emphasising how such integration can profoundly enrich scientific research and deepen our understanding of the Accademia’s contributions to science and culture.