Paleolab - Museo delle raccolte paleontologiche

Paleolab is Terni’s palaeontological museum, established in the former church of San Tommaso in Piazza del Mercato. Its fossils explore the geological history and ancient wildlife of southern Umbria.

Why it matters

Marine and continental finds connect changing environments with the animals that inhabited them. The collection includes material from the Plio-Pleistocene landscapes of the Tiberino basin.

What to notice

Among the recorded finds are remains of a southern mammoth, an Etruscan rhinoceros, a sabre-toothed cat and a deer identified as Axis nestii. The deer’s bones were found in anatomical connection, preserving their relationship within the skeleton.

Context and history

The museum was formally established in 2002 and received a renewed educational display in 2012. Its location in a former church distinguishes it from the industrial buildings elsewhere in the CAOS museum network.