An exhibition in Selva di Cadore on dinosaurs and prehistoric animals that inhabited the Dolomites

Beginning 350 million years ago, many vertebrates and nonvertebrates began to leave the water and reach for the sky. These species, reconstructed with scientific rigor in life size, can be encountered today in the exhibition Evolution. Stories of Change, curated by paleontologist Simone Maganuco. scheduled from July 8 to Oct. 22, 2023 at the Museo Vittorino Cazzetta in Selva di Cadore (Belluno). The testimonial of the new proposal will be the reproduction, for the first time exhibited in Italy, of the megalodon shark, at 11 meters in length, one of the largest and most powerful predators that ever existed.

After the success in 2022 of the exhibition dedicated to the dinosaurs that dominated the Florentine Valley and many other areas of the planet, the Vittorino Cazzetta Museum this summer proposes to continue the journey with the exhibition Evolution. Stories of Change, which brings back dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, reconstructed with scientific rigor and life-size, shedding light on compelling new chapter in the history of life on Earth and the scenery of the Dolomites. The exhibition, dedicated to the evolution of vertebrates and beyond, hosting specimens of amphibians, reptiles and birds, is in continuity with the summer 2022 proposal, the Dinosaurs in the Flesh exhibition. Val Fiorentina - Dolomites ’Origins.

Evolution, promoted by the Municipality of Selva di Cadore in collaboration with Tramedistoria Impresa Sociale (managing entity of the Museo Civico Vittorino Cazzetta) and the Pro loco Val Fiorentina, under the patronage of the Veneto Region, the Province of Belluno and the Unesco Dolomites Foundation, represents a new journey through millions of years to shed light on some of the most fascinating aspects of evolution and understand the main changes that led to the current forms of life.

Models of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals reproduced life-size and looking as they must have looked in life have been reconstructed by Geomodel, a company specializing in the reconstruction of life-size prehistoric animals, based on scientific studies by an all-Italian team with the advice of professional paleontologists. The unique format aims to engage the public (children and adults) by transforming the visit into a real experience in the vast world of paleontology and in particular national paleontology.

The exhibit,conceived and created by paleontologist Simone Maganuco, will explore various aspects: from the emergence of the first vertebrates from water, to the conquest of dry land, to the appearance of reptiles and then the first mammals, the evolutionary transition from dinosaurs to the origin of birds, from the mistakes of Jurassic Park to the paleoartists of yesterday and today (our Sapiens ancestors, but also our “cousins” Neanderthals, inspired by observing nature and the animals that inhabited the same regions), to a face-to-face encounter with the megalodon shark, the most famous of marine predators, whose reproduction will be on display in Italy for the first time.It will be discovered that several species on display were also present in the Dolomites when, in the Triassic, between 251 and 199 million years ago, they were a changing landscape of sea, volcanic islands and coral reefs, similar to today’s Bahamas and mainland coast: there is no evidence here of the megalodon shark (a species that lived in later times and reigned supreme in the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans), however, remains of marine reptiles such as Ichthyosaurus and other animals have been found among the rocks, which will be highlighted in the exhibition tour.

In the hamlet of Santa Fosca, an outdoor dinosaur trail will also be open until Sept. 17, with numerous new exhibits such as a huge soaring Diplodocus (about 10 meters tall), a predatory allosauroid and a giant crocodile Sarcosuchus. The exhibition will be accompanied by a rich program of initiatives, related to deepening the knowledge of dinosaurs, prehistory and geology of the Florentine Valley. The extension of the exhibition at the museum until Oct. 22 will also allow schools of all levels to book guided tours and educational activities. The Val Fiorentina is not only history and prehistory: it is a very rich territory, which is revealed through traditions and typicality, sports and culture (more information in the attached file).

Exhibition Hours: July 8 to September 17 - Open daily with the following schedule: Morning 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Afternoon 3 p.m.-7 p.m. September 18 to October 22. Reservations can be made daily for schools and groups. Open to the public Thursday through Sunday: Morning 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Afternoons 3 p.m./7 p.m. Tickets (include museum tour and exhibition): full price 10 euros, reduced youth (6 to 19 years old) 6 euros, reduced over 65 7 euros, exempt children from 0 to 5 years old, residents of the Municipality of Selva di Cadore, ICOM members, people with severe disabilities with accompanying person, registered journalists with valid ID, members of the Friends of the Museum association.

Special prices will also be reserved for schools, summer centers and groups, available at www.museoselvadicadore.it and www.tramedistoria.it Info: museoselvadicadore@gmail.com, tel. 0437.521068

An exhibition in Selva di Cadore on dinosaurs and prehistoric animals that inhabited the Dolomites

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