Museo Xeolóxico de Quiroga

About the museum

The Museo Geológico Municipal de Quiroga is one of the cornerstones of the UNESCO Montañas do Courel Global Geopark and forms part of its network of interpretation centres, together with the Museo Etnográfico de Quiroga, the nature classroom of the Devesa da Rogueira, the caves centre of Meiraos and the museum of Roman gold mining at Ribas de Sil. It opened in 2011, and the room on the first human occupations was completed in 2020.

The contents are arranged from oldest to most recent across five rooms: the geological formation of Galicia, with a reconstruction of the recumbent fold of Campodola-Leixazós and a collection of rocks and minerals; the evolution of life, with Palaeozoic invertebrates and large Quaternary mammals such as cave bears, bison, mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses; climate change during the Quaternary, with a stalagmite from the Arcoia cave that began to grow about 550,000 years ago; the first human occupations of Galicia; and the ancient and recent mining of the geopark.

The room on the first inhabitants presents Palaeolithic stone tools found at Gándara Cha, about 2 km from the museum, and the story of Elba, the shepherdess of the Courel who lived about 9,500 years ago and whose appearance was reconstructed from her DNA.

Highlights

• Recumbent fold of Campodola-Leixazós
• Collection of rocks and minerals from the geopark
• Palaeozoic fossils and Quaternary megafauna
• 550,000-year-old stalagmite from the Arcoia cave
• Palaeolithic tools from Gándara Cha and the story of Elba, the shepherdess of the Courel

Permanent exhibitions

• Formación geológica de Galicia – Palaeogeographic reconstructions, the recumbent fold of Campodola-Leixazós and a collection of rocks and minerals representative of the geopark.
• La evolución de la vida – Fossils of Palaeozoic invertebrates and remains of Quaternary fauna from Galicia, such as cave bears, bison and mammoths.
• Primeras ocupaciones humanas en Galicia – Evolution of hominins, Palaeolithic stone tools from Gándara Cha and the story of Elba, the shepherdess of the Courel.

Founded

2011

Operated by

Concello de Quiroga

Admission & discounts

Admission is €1 per person for all categories under the municipal fee (tasa).

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’s blog states that the facility is adapted for people with disabilities.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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.

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