Museum of natural history and archaeology Vicenza takes two Dominican cloister, surrounding the Church of Santa Corona and facing on the same street. The cloister of the 17th century, smaller in size, is located on the North side of the Church, like the ancient library. The latter was built between 1496 and 1502 m years, presumably on the draft Rocco da Vicenza, but not used today. The second, larger, the cloister was built in the second half of the 15th century and decorated with columns of local stone with Gothic capitals. The loggia and the Western façade of the cloister was designed by Francesco Muttoni. In the premises of the cloister was once housed not only the monks but also the administration of the Inquisition – she occupied the first floor of the West wing.

In 1811, the year the great cloister was used as city College, then it was the headquarters of the Austrian military hospital, and later a school. In 1823, the year it was attached the current facade with triple entrance, and in 1877, the year he became the residence of the prestigious technological Institute, founded by industrialist Alessandro Rossi. The Institute was located here until 1962. In 1987, the year both of the cloisters have been restored, and a few years later they housed the collections of the Museum of natural history and archaeology.

Previously in the collection of the Museum occupied the building of the Palazzo Chiericati, along with other collections of the City Museum Vicenza. In the 19th century were donated to the Museum an important naturalistic collections, among which were a rich herbarium containing silver minerals, fossil remains of a crocodile that once lived on the territory of Vicenza, and many other suboptimum exhibits. In 1945, the year the City Museum was bombed, and most of the materials, devoted to natural history, was destroyed. From the original collection contains only two paleontological collections. Therefore, the current exhibits of the Museum is the result of recent acquisitions and donations. Today in the Museum of natural history and archaeology can be seen Malacological and osteological collections, stuffed rare birds and priceless herbarium, created by the famous naturalist-argilagos Paolo Lioy in 1854-56-m years. In the entomological collection of holotypes and paratypes living in Vicenza in Northern Italy insect species.