Museum of fossils from Monte San Giorgio — Attraction in Circolo di Mendrisio

Less varied or impressive than the palaeontological collections of Zurich University (which collection probably derives from the fact that the palaeontologist who initially studied the material from Monte San Giorgio came from Zurich), but nonetheless incomparable to the Museo Civico dei Fossili di Besano, it is, first of all - and in particular respect to the latter museum - admirable that such a big and well-designed museum was created locally to exhibit the wonderful natural and world heritage from Monte San Giorgio. Secondly, the amount of material exhibited easily surpasses that of both of the other museums, even if there is quite some repetition in terms of the species on display. You'll also not find as many of the large vertebrate specimens here as you might find in Zurich.

This, however, is more than made up for by a number of specimens that cannot be found elsewhere, as well as the better conditions for photography. This, together with the numerous samples per species on display, make this an excellent museum for reference studies on the Monte San Giorgio ecosystem. This is by far not to say that the museum comes across as outdated or only for specialists, as the contrary is rather the case: the whole museum has a fresh and modern look about it, and multimedia-presentations help explain both the origins and significance of the material to those less familiar with either Monte San Giorgio more specifically, on the field of palaeontology as a whole. Models of reconstructed animals help further visualize the ecological diversity of this world-class site.

In conclusion, though this museum's location is probably a bit off the beaten track for most people, it is a definite must-see if you find yourself in the region, or if you have a special interest in Triassic...

Set in a tiny village on the hills, in a traditional house... It's actually a very modern and well organized museum.

The four floors tell the story of the prehistoric state of the southern Ticino area, when it was a subtropical sea dotted with islands.

The numerous specimens are well displayed and the information in the displays, and the infographics, do a really good job in telling the information about them as a story, both of the ancient animals and of the excavation sites themselves.

Multimedia support material is well done and contributes well: especially the video "superimposed" on an actual slab full of fossils. And of course the VR/AR were cool.

Small downsides: the audio guide is OK, but merely recites almost exactly the text on the info panels (plus, the tablet gets a bit heavy if you stay for a while: a carrying tote would be helpful). Also, for people (like us) who take time to actually watch and read everything the full visit can last some 4 hours... Some more places to sit and rest would have helped.

Overall, a very...

Remodeled and expanded by the Ticinese architect Mario Botta, the Fossil Museum in Meride exhibits a selection of fossilized animals and plants from the unique UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte San Giorgio.

The 2.5-meter long reconstruction of the saurian Ticinosuchus welcomes visitors to the fossil museum in the center of the village of Meride. Spread over four floors, the large variety of animals that lived 245 to 180 million years ago in the erstwhile sea and on the coast of southern Ticino are exhibited. Illustrations and models explain to the public the long extinct world whose fossils have been excavated, prepared and scientifically described by Swiss and Italian experts since 1850.

Possibility to visit Monte San Giorgio and the fossiles Museum with a specialized guide.

Closed: Mondays, 24th/25th/31st...