Museo della preistoria «Luigi Donini»
Municipal museum in San Lazzaro di Savena on the prehistory of the Bologna Apennines: the Gessi, large Pleistocene fauna, early humans and Villanovan culture, with an outdoor park.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum belongs to the municipality of San Lazzaro di Savena, which refounded it and reopened it to the public in 1985; after a thorough redisplay it reopened in September 2003. It is closely tied to the Bologna Apennines, a territory rich in natural and archaeological features such as the Gessi Bolognesi (Bologna gypsum ridge), the Grotta del Farneto cave and the Villanovan necropolis of Le Caselle.
The display combines original finds, all from the local area, with life-size reconstructions. Its three sections cover the vanished environments (geology, palaeontology and karst of the Gessi), the earliest humans from the Palaeolithic to the Metal Ages, and the Iron Age, with Giovanni Gozzadini and the discovery of Villanovan culture. Among the collections, the prehistoric and palaeontological deposit of the Cava a Filo stands out; it is part of the UNESCO site dedicated to karst in evaporites and to the caves of the northern Apennines. A route on Roman-period San Lazzaro illustrates the Romanisation of the territory.
The route is supplemented by more than 30 electronic frames with films and in-depth material. Outdoors, since 2008, the PreistoPark has displayed life-size reconstructions of large animals that became extinct after the last ice age, including the mammoth and the cave bear.
Highlights
- Finds from the Cava a Filo, a palaeontological site in the Gessi Bolognesi
- Life-size reconstructions of prehistoric people and environments
- Villanovan culture and the Le Caselle necropolis
- PreistoPark with mammoth and cave bear
- Route on Roman-period San Lazzaro and the posting station Isex flumen
Permanent exhibitions
- Percorso museale: ambienti scomparsi, primi uomini, civiltà del Ferro – Sections on the geology and palaeontology of the Gessi Bolognesi, human evolution from the Palaeolithic to the Metal Ages, Villanovan culture and Roman-period San Lazzaro, with life-size reconstructions.
- PreistoPark – Outdoor park with reconstructions of mammoth, cave bear and other large animals of the last ice age.
- Founded
- 1985
- Operated by
- Comune di San Lazzaro di Savena
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Visitors aged 14 to 18, people over 65, Italian and foreign students of all levels with a valid document |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 13 · Free admission up to age 13; reduced rate for ages 14 to 18. |
| Seniors | €2Over 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and their companions. |
| Students & apprentices | €2Students of all levels with a valid document. |
| Groups | –Guided tours for groups: €5 per child and €7 per adult (more than 10 participants), or €55 per group of up to 10 participants; admission ticket free of charge. |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month: free admission for residents of the municipality of San Lazzaro di Savena.
Free admission also for tour guides and interpreters, journalists registered with the professional register, accompanying teachers of school groups, and holders of the Card Cultura Bologna. With the museum ticket there is a discount on admission to the Parco Dinosauri in Carne e Ossa (€8 instead of €12). Bancomat (debit card) and credit cards are accepted.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is accessible to people with disabilities; there is a lift and reserved parking. Animals are not admitted, except for those accompanying people with disabilities.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 13 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Playground / play area
The museum offers animated visits, workshops for children aged 3 to 10, and the outdoor PreistoPark with reconstructions of large prehistoric animals.
Getting there & parking
By car
- Accessible parking
The museum is located at Via Fratelli Canova 49, San Lazzaro di Savena, in a municipal building with an adjoining park.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Bookshop with books and gifts. Large bags and backpacks can be left in the lockers at the entrance.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | On public holidays guided tours open to the public are always offered; on weekdays they are available on request. For schools and groups, booking is compulsory (even without a guide); educational services are booked online via the dedicated website. Group activities include a visit with lighting a fire (1.5 hours), workshops in art, clay or drilling, and the “fiaba del Bambino delle caverne” (fairy tale of the cave child). |
