Museo Paleoantropologico del Po
Museum in San Daniele Po with Quaternary fossils from the Po river and the frontal bone of the Neanderthal “Pàus”, the only evidence of the species in the Pianura Padana (Po Plain).
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum was founded in 1998 by the Gruppo Naturalistico Paleontofilo (GNP) together with the Municipality of San Daniele Po, and since 2007 has been recognised by the Lombardy Region. It is on the ground floor of the town's former middle school.
The collections include hundreds of Quaternary fossils collected along the banks of the Po, belonging to about thirty species, among them mammoth, giant deer, bison and rhinoceros. The museum holds the only remains of leopard and cave hyena found in the Po alluvial deposits, as well as a well-preserved mandible of a cave lion and the complete skull of a Merck's rhinoceros.
The most important piece is the frontal bone of a Neanderthal man nicknamed “Pàus”, described as the only exceptional evidence of this species in the Po Plain. The display is completed by a collection of hominid casts, with a reconstructed complete Neanderthal skeleton. The route is organised into five sections: “Laboratorio” (laboratory), “I carnivori del Po” (the carnivores of the Po), “La pianura del Neanderthal” (the Neanderthal plain), “I fossili della pianura” (fossils of the plain) and “L’evoluzione dell’uomo” (human evolution).
Highlights
- Frontal bone of the Neanderthal “Pàus”, the only find of its kind in the Po Plain
- Reconstructed complete Neanderthal skeleton and hominid casts
- Mammoth, giant deer, bison and rhinoceros fossils from the Po
- Remains of leopard, cave hyena and cave lion from the river deposits
- Laboratory with stereomicroscopes and educational activities
Permanent exhibitions
- La pianura del Neanderthal – Main section with Pàus, the Neanderthal of the Po, alongside woolly rhinoceros, mammoth, giant deer, bison, cave bear and elk, and the reconstructed Neanderthal skeleton.
- I carnivori del Po – Room with fossils of large predators found in the Po, including a leopard tibia, a cave hyena sacrum and a cave lion mandible.
- Founded
- 1998
- Operated by
- Comune di San Daniele Po e Gruppo Naturalistico Paleontofilo (GNP)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Children aged 6 to 12 and people over 70 |
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 5 · Free admission under 6 years; reduced ticket for ages 6 to 12 |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities |
| Groups (8+ people) | €6 per personGuided visits by booking only, for groups of 8 to 25 people; the ticket with workshop for school classes costs €7 |
| Guided visit (by booking only) | €6Reduced €4 for children aged 6 to 12 and over-70s |
| Visit with workshop (school groups) | €7 |
Free visit: €4 full price, €2 reduced. Free admission also for GNP members.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is on the ground floor and is accessible to people with mobility difficulties.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Thematic workshops for schools include “Chi era Pàus?” (Who was Pàus?), “Un giorno da paleontologi” (a day as a palaeontologist) with a simulated dig, “Ritratto di famiglia” (family portrait) on human evolution, and “Vita a sei zampe” (life on six legs) with insects observed under the microscope.
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 | Guided tours and workshops for schools must be booked. For schools there is a guided visit (2 hours), a workshop with twenty stereomicroscopes (1.5 hours), an outing to the Le Margherite nature oasis (2 hours), and half-day or full-day combinations; for packed lunches there is a green area near the museum. |
