Set up within the spaces of the former Magistrate’s Court in Bova, in the heart of Aspromonte National Park, the Museum of Paleontology and Natural Sciences covers an area of about 300 square meters, divided into several thematic rooms and a large central hall. The display cases, arranged in a continuous and engaging itinerary, take the visitor on a real journey through time, including geological eras, environmental transformations and species that have disappeared.
At the entrance, maps of the Aspromonte Park welcome the public, highlighting the naturalistic richness of the area and the boundaries within which the municipality of Bova is located. The museum is configured as a unique scientific reference point in Southern Italy, thanks to the importance of the exhibits housed, which are particularly significant for understanding the evolutionary history of Calabria and, in particular, the province of Reggio.
The permanent collection includes about 15,000 fossils, mainly from Calabria, documenting the evolution of fauna and flora, climatic and environmental changes over a period of time ranging from 100,000 to more than 120 million years ago. These are joined by international finds, included to provide a broader view of the evolution of life on Earth through different geological eras.
Completing the museum’s cultural offerings are activities designed for younger children, including the educational workshop “A Paleontologist’s Day,” aimed at children ages 5 to 11. In this interactive educational space, young visitors can simulate a paleontological dig, recover, clean and catalog fossils, finally receiving an official “Little Paleontologist” certificate.
Unique of its kind in southern Italy, the museum combines scientific rigor and popularization, making itself accessible to scholars as well as enthusiasts and families, offering an immersive experience between science, nature and Earth history.
