Milan’s Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology (‘Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci’) is housed in a 16th-century monastery and features a collection of more than 16,000 items – including models based on da Vinci’s engineering sketches.

It’s a fascinating place to delve into the mind of genius overachiever da Vinci, and learn about cutting-edge tech.

Leonardo da Vinci was a true Renaissance man (and not just because he was alive during the Italian Renaissance).

His interests ranged from the study of nature and anatomy to military and hydraulic engineering. Not only a renowned painter, he’s often credited with inventing the parachute, helicopter, and tank. His observations and ideas can be seen in the thousands of drawings made throughout his life and career as a painter and engineer.