Founded as a scientific and educational facility for the cultivation of medicinal plants, the Botanical Garden of the University of Padua still occupies its original location and retains the features of the16th-century layout. Many plant species were first introduced into Italy and Europe via the Botanical Garden of Padua, which benefited from the power and influence of the Venetian Republic, its many possessions and the numerous trade routes it controlled.

In 1997 the garden was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, given its acknowledged role in the spread of botanical knowledge, and the cultural importance of its medicinal herb garden. In 2014, the Botanical Garden added to its naturalistic assets with the creation of the Biodiversity Garden: five large greenhouses simulating the climatic conditions of the world’s biomes (tropical, sub-humid, temperate, Mediterranean and arid), offering a tour that brings together histories of plants and peoples. In short, a life-size atlas of the plant kingdom (closed to the public currently for extensive maintenance) allowing visitors to explore Planet Earth at close quarters.

2018 saw the completion of restoration work on the 19th-century greenhouses, which were built between 1804 and 1818 for the purpose of preserving specimens during the colder months. Today, they house the collection of insectivorous plants. The Botanical Museum, opened in 2023, reveals items from the historical heritage of the University of Padua not viewable formerly by the general public. It tells the story of the Botanical Garden through its plants, and through notable figures who shaped five centuries of interrelated botanical and medical history. The exhibits include historical herbaria, instruments, interactive installations and an invaluable collection of period pharmacy furniture, books and drugs. Today, more than 3,500 species and 6,000 plant specimens can be found at the Botanical Garden of Padua, the most emblematic of which is a dwarf palm planted in 1585. This became known as Goethe’s Palm, having provided a source of inspiration for the famous German author, who saw and admired it in 1786 prior to penning his botanical essay Metamorphosis of Plants.