Meteorological room

In 1795, two cubic side wings were added to the original structure of the Specola. The northern wing houses the Meteorological Room. As its name suggests, this space primarily contains meteorological instruments, including a collection of antique barometers.

The presence of such instruments reflects the activities traditionally carried out by observatories of the time. Since its founding, the Palermo Observatory has conducted meteorological observations alongside its astronomical work. Data collected at the Observatory—including measurements of rainfall, temperature, atmospheric pressure, and later, wind direction and intensity, as well as sunshine duration—were compiled into a local meteorological series, the legacy of which continues to this day.

In recognition of this long-standing tradition, in September 2020 the Palermo Observatory was awarded the status of "Centennial Station" by the World Meteorological Organization—an honor given to meteorological stations that have operated for at least 100 years with continuity, high-quality standards, and long-term data series.

Also present in the room are two 19th-century seismoscopes, a portrait of Niccolò Cacciatore (Piazzi’s assistant and his successor as director of the Observatory), and a Riefler pendulum clock from the early 20th century.