Museo geopaleontologico 'Ardito Desio'
Museum in the fortress of Rocca di Cave on the geological history of Lazio, with the fossil reef of the Upper Cretaceous.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is housed in the medieval rocca (fortress) of Rocca di Cave, in the Monti Prenestini, and is dedicated to the geologist Ardito Desio. The village is known for its fossil reef of the Upper Cretaceous, between 100 and 70 million years ago, formed by rudists and other organisms of tropical seas: it is the westernmost outcrop of this succession in the Lazio-Abruzzo facies.
The route unfolds over two floors and five halls, like a journey back in time to the age of Pangaea, with particular attention to the Upper Cretaceous. The display includes fossils, models of the environments of Lazio in the different eras, explanatory panels, tactile models and multimedia stations. On the terrace of the tower there is an astronomical observatory.
In 2025 the Comune di Rocca di Cave entrusted the management of the Sistema Museale Rocca di Cave (SMuRC), which includes the museum, the planetarium, the astronomical station and the palaeontological walk, to the cooperative Le Nuvole; the museum was opened to the public on 9 August 2025.
Highlights
- Fossils and models on the geological history of Lazio
- Upper Cretaceous fossil reef of rudists
- Route through five halls on two floors
- Tactile models and multimedia stations
- Astronomical observatory and planetarium of the museum system
Permanent exhibition
- Collezione permanente: storia geologica del Lazio – Route through five halls from Pangaea to the Upper Cretaceous, with fossils, models and tactile displays.
- Operated by
- Comune di Rocca di Cave (gestione Le Nuvole)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Families | €15Family ticket for up to 4 people. |
Prices listed for the guided tours of summer 2025: single ticket €5, family ticket (up to 4 people) €15. The planetarium has a separate ticket.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | €15 · Family ticket for up to 4 people. |
|---|
The guided tours are designed for young people, adults and families; a family ticket is available, and the museum system includes a dinosaur garden.
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 |
|---|---|
| Good to know | In 2025 admission was possible only with booking and online purchase, with limited capacity, in conjunction with the guided tours led by the science communicators of the operator. |
