Achille De Zigno was not a member of the University of Padua, but he had a long and productive collaboration with the University, and particularly with Giovanni Omboni (1829-1910), Director of the Cabinet of Geology and of the Museum, both founded in 1869. The relationship between them was one of profound esteem and productive scientific exchange.

When Achille De Zigno passed away, Giovanni Omboni bought his palaeontological collection and his private library, and donated them to the University.

In the picture above, is Omboni’s will to donate dated June 17th 1892 (courtesy of: Archivio storico dell'Università di Padova). You can read:

'It was my natural and strong desire that the important geological and palaeontological collections and the great number of books and pamphlets that belonged to the late Baron Achille De Zigno, would not be scattered in museums and libraries, here and there, outside Padua. I want that they remain here, in this Cabinet of Geology, to be always useful, together with the other collections and books that are already here, for the study and knowledge of geology of Veneto'.

The donation was finalised by the University on September 7th, 1894. It took Omboni two years of work to catalogue and organise that important and vast geopalaeontological collection.