Museo malacologico piceno
Large shell museum in Cupra Marittima with about 900,000 specimens displayed in 12 sections over two floors and a famous malacological piastrelloteca.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo Malacologico Piceno was founded in 1977 in Cupra Marittima out of the need to show the public the large shell collection of Tiziano and Vincenzo Cossignani. The early years saw temporary premises, exhibitions in various Italian cities and an educational museum at the primary school of Cupra Marittima. From 1988 the museum has had its permanent home at Via Adriatica Nord 240, along the SS16.
The building, a prefabricated structure with 3,000 square metres of usable floor space, contains, alongside the display areas, a conference hall for 200 people, a teaching room for 80 students, a projection room, a library, a laboratory for classifying and photographing shells, a shop, and walls fitted out for the picture gallery and the malacological piastrelloteca.
The display cases extend for 1,800 linear metres. About one million specimens are on show (900,000 according to the materials for schools), while the study collections hold more than nine million. The twelve sections feature shells, but also dinosaurs, crabs, sharks, corals, pearls, mother-of-pearl, masks and ethnography.
Highlights
- About 900,000 shells on display and 9 million kept in the collections
- 12 display sections on two floors
- Malacological piastrelloteca, considered the most important in the world
- Sections on sharks, corals, pearls and mother-of-pearl
- Library with more than 3,000 volumes and a scientific shop
Permanent exhibition
- Collezioni malacologiche – Twelve sections with shells from around the world, sharks, corals, pearls, ethnography and the malacological piastrelloteca.
- Founded
- 1977
- Operated by
- Comitato Mostra Malacologica
- Visitors per year
- approx. 60,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Students aged 6 to 18 |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 5 · Students aged 6 to 18; free up to 5 years if accompanied by parents |
| Seniors | €7.50Over 65s |
| Students & apprentices | €5Students aged 6 to 18 |
| Groups (30+ people) | €7.50 per personGroups of at least 30 people |
Free admission for children up to 5 years old if accompanied by their parents.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
The museum is also designed for education, with classrooms for schools; children up to 5 years old enter free if accompanied.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Cupra Marittima railway station is 2 km away; urban bus line 6 links the museum with Grottammare and San Benedetto del Tronto at hourly intervals.
By car
Parking available
Large car park for cars, coaches and school buses.
The museum lies along the SS16, north of the centre of Cupra Marittima. From the A14 motorway: coming from the north, take the Pedaso exit and drive 7 km south; coming from the south, take the Grottammare exit and drive 7 km north.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop with more than 20,000 scientific items, books and magazines.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Photography without flash is permitted. |
| Good to know | Average visit time 90 to 120 minutes. The museum offers a programme for schools with 3 teaching rooms and a classification laboratory. The building also includes a conference hall for 200 people, a teaching room for 80 students and a projection room with 50 seats. |
