Bo Palace (Palazzo del Bo) is the central piece of the Paduan University. Established in 1222, the University of Padua is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. Its Medical Faculty has been a leading institution for medical studies for centuries. Perhaps the most famous alumnus of the Medical Faculty is Andreas Vesalius, who is often referred to as the father of modern human anatomy. He studied and later taught at Padua, and his seminal work, "De humani corporis fabrica" (On the Fabric of the Human Body, 1543) was a groundbreaking text in anatomy. The Anatomical Theatre of Padua, built in 1594 during tenure of Girolamo Fabrici d’Acquapendente, is the oldest surviving anatomy theatre in the world. It was here that many important dissections and lectures took place, attracting students from across Europe is the place for 16th-century Anatomy Theatre. Another famous alumni of the University was William Harvey, who discovered blood circulation.

Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (National Archeological Museum of Neapel) holds a significant collection of medical and surgical instruments from ancient Rome recovered from the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.