One of our history books for school is this picture book biography of Leonardo da Vinci, which gave me the idea to write a post about da Vinci’s notebooks. (Side note: as I mentioned recently, next summer Grey Roots Museum will be hosting an exhibit of life-size replicas of machines designed by da Vinci; I can’t wait!)

Since I’m pressed for time, I’ll simply share the basics about Leonardo da Vinci’s amazing notebooks and where you can view digitized copies online.

• 13,000 pages of notes and drawings
• Written on loose paper and later bound into notebooks
• Include drawings, diagrams, notes, observations, even a grocery list
• Written from right to left, probably because he was left-handed, rather than to keep the notes secret
• Also include shorthand and symbols
• Unknown why they weren’t published in his lifetime
• The notebooks are now found in museums around the world
• One is privately owned — by Bill Gates

Now take a look for yourself!

• The Victoria and Albert Museum has five notebooks bound into three codices
• The Codex Arundel is found in the British Library
• The Biblioteca Nacional de España has the Madrid Codices
• The Codex Atlanticus, held by the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, can be viewed online here
• Sforza Castle in Milan holds the Codex Trivulzianus; see it here
• The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum shares the digitized version of the Codex on the Flight of Birds, held by the Royal Library in Turin

Thanks are due to My Modern Met for posting “Where to View Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks Online for Free”

P.S. Four picture books about Leonardo da Vinci