Museo del Camoscio

The Chamois Museum in Farindola documents the history and reintroduction of the Apennine chamois to the Gran Sasso. Its displays include interactive and sensory exhibits, while a faunal area near the Cascata del Vitello d'Oro supports the museum's conservation theme.

Why it matters

The Apennine chamois disappeared from the Gran Sasso more than a century ago and was later reintroduced. The museum presents that conservation history through information about the species and the reintroduction project.

What to notice

The museum's rooms include documentation on the chamois, a video room with films about the park and material on other protected areas in Abruzzo and Italy. Interactive games and sensory activities extend the exhibition's focus on the mountain and its wildlife. Near the waterfall, the faunal area holds chamois in semi-liberty, with viewing areas above the village.

Context and history

The Chamois Museum is housed in a building constructed by the Bevilacqua family in the late 17th or early 18th century. The park's reintroduction project returned the Apennine chamois, Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata, to the Gran Sasso. The museum interprets this work as part of the conservation of a species emblematic of the park.