Civico Museo del Mare di Tropea (MuMaT)
Small palaeontological museum in Tropea, in Palazzo Santa Chiara, with Miocene marine fossils: megalodons, sirenians, a whale and over 150 echinoids.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Civic Sea Museum of Tropea, known as MuMaT, arises from the thirty-year activity of the Gruppo Paleontologico Tropeano, founded on 1 December 1995 by a group of enthusiasts to recover and enhance the palaeontological heritage of the province of Vibo Valentia. The museum is run by the Istituto Paleontologico Calabrese, a Third Sector body, on behalf of the municipality of Tropea, with a staff of volunteer members.
It is housed in Palazzo Santa Chiara, a space also used for cultural events. All the exhibits come from Tropea or its immediate surroundings, in particular from the seabed of about 7 million years ago.
The collections include Miocene shark teeth, among them the megalodon, remains of orcas, some of the most complete skeletons of fossil sirenians and of a Miocene whale, as well as a collection of over 150 echinoids (including many Clypeaster) and collections of modern and fossil molluscs. A marine biology section with shells, algae and skeletons presents the present-day flora and fauna of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Highlights
- Teeth of Otodus megalodon and other Miocene sharks
- Skeletons of fossil sirenians and of a Miocene whale
- Echinoid room with over 150 specimens, including many Clypeaster
- Malacological collections of modern and fossil shells
- Marine biology section of the Tyrrhenian Sea
Permanent exhibition
- Sezione di paleontologia e sezione di biologia marina – Miocene marine fossils from Tropea (sharks, sirenians, a whale, echinoids, molluscs) and a marine biology section with shells, algae and skeletons.
- Operated by
- Istituto Paleontologico Calabrese (Gruppo Paleontologico Tropeano) per il Comune di Tropea
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1university and school students of every level, members of Amici dei Borghi più Belli d'Italia, pensioners and recipients of the reddito di cittadinanza (citizenship income) with a postal card |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 5 · Free admission up to the age of 6, on showing identification. |
| Groups | –Small groups of no more than 15 people. Free admission for the companion of groups of more than 15 people and for one teacher per 15 students. |
Rates of the 2024 winter promotion, as indicated on the website. Free admission also for archaeologists registered with the ANA, journalists on the professional register, tour guides of the AGTC, and marine biologists and palaeontologists for study purposes. Pets are not admitted.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
The museum describes itself as highly recommended for families and for enthusiasts of palaeontology.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Visits by appointment, also on other days and at other times. The visit can be enriched by the presence of a palaeontologist or a marine biologist. |
