Even before humans arrived, the Veneto region was populated by tropical fish, marine reptiles and even dinosaurs. The rocks of the region preserve these fossils, revealing ancient and surprising landscapes, now accessible through museums, outdoor sites and nature trails.
In Bolca, in the heart of Lessinia, you can visit one of the most famous fossil sites in the world. The Fossil Museum houses perfectly preserved fish, plants and insects, while a guide can take you to the Pesciara, a quarry where excavations are still ongoing today.
In Padua, the Museum of Nature and Man offers a multimedia tour of rocks, fossils, minerals and ancient finds, from the fossil palm room to the dolphins of Belluno to the famous sabre-toothed tiger.
Sites and museums not to be missed:
- ‘Giancarlo Ligabue’ Natural History Museum of Venice
- ‘Earth and Man’ Civic Museum of Natural History in Crocetta del Montello
- Natural History Museum of Verona
- ‘G. Zannato’ Museum of Archaeology and Natural Sciences in Montecchio Maggiore
- ‘Vittorino Cazzetta’ Museum in Selva di Cadore
- ‘Rinaldo Zardini’ Paleontological Museum in Cortina d'Ampezzo
- Museum of Natural History and Archaeology of Montebelluna
- Paleontological and Prehistoric Museum of Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo
- Geopaleontological Museum of Cava Bomba in Cinto Euganeo
- ‘Renato Gasparella’ Priabonian Paleontological Museum
- ‘Patrizio Rigoni’ Natural History Museum in Asiago
- Montebelluna Museum of Natural History and Archaeology
