Paleontology Museum

The Paleontology Museum in Montevarchi is one of the oldest in Italy and was opened to the public for the first time in 1829. For two centuries it has collected and witnessed the climatic and environmental changes that have accompanied the natural history of Valdarno. In new rooms, reopened in 2014, we can observe reconstructions of the environment and remains of the fauna (elephants, hippos, giant hyenas, canines, equines, tapirs, bovines ..) that populated the upper Valdarno starting from 3,100,000 years ago, up to 200,000 years ago, when there were signs of human presence. Thanks to the route through the museum which is in a chronological order, a journey, three million years long takes place. The oldest phase is characterized by very tall woods of redwood and sequoia trees (3,100,000 years ago), continuing through the period of the glaciations (2,500,000 years ago) and the great Pleistocene lake, until the first human presence (200,000 years ago), attested by the oldest arrow head( used with a javelin) in the world. Since 2016 there is also the ‘Tracchi’ Archaeological Section, which gives insight into Etruscan and Roman presence in Valdarno. The Paleontology Museum is located in a 14th century Franciscan convent, original features still remain with traces of internal decorations and a Renaissance cloister. The Museum has a bookshop where you can purchase publications, educational games and personalized and thematic gadgets.

Montevarchi Paleontological Museum
Street Poggio Bracciolini, 36/40
52025 Montevarchi (AR)
Tel: +39 055 981227
paleo@accademiadelpoggio.it
www.museopaleontologicomontevarchi.it

Winter (1 September – 31 May):
Thursday – Sunday 10 am-1pm and 3pm – 6pm

Summer (1 June – 31 August):
Thursday 10 am to 7 pm, Friday to Sunday 10 am to 1 pm and 4 to 7 pm

Tickets
Adults € 6
Concessions: € 5 (Unicoop Firenze, Touring Club, Coldiretti)
Children: € 3 (6-18 years, groups of 13 to 25 people, teachers)
School groups: € 2
Families: € 12 (2 adults with children up to 16 years)
Free: members of the Accademia Valdarnese del Poggio, Members of the Museum, tourist and environmental guides, teachers with Edumusei card, disabled and their guides, children under 6.