Nature and science combined at Muse

The MUSE museum in Trento offers a great insight in the forming of the region, the extinct and existing wildlife. And all of this is in combination with the latest on science. When you visit MUSE you enter a well organized, modern museum.

The artifacts are well documented and the interactive displays make it a dynamic museum. This makes it a great experience for young and old. The information is written in an easy to understand fashion and is therefore interesting for everyone.

Even better, the information displays are not the only way the gather and learn interesting facts. On every floor you meet employees and volunteers of the MUSE museum that will gladly tell you more about the topics. Many of them are actually scientist either working for MUSE or studying at the Trento university.

A 7 floor journey

I recommend you to start at the lowest floor and make your way up trough this 7 floor museum. On level -1 you find exiting information on dinosaurs, DNA and fossils. Reconstructed skeletons of some of the great ones are on display. It’s hard to image having these enormous beast walking around on the planet, but the fossils shown proof they have really existed.

Trough the tropical garden, you make your way to the first floor where you can experience and try exciting science experiments that explain a lot of different concepts of physics. This floor is especially informative and a lot of fun for the younger ones.

On the first floor you learn more about our sustainability and innovation on our planet, the alpine prehistory and a ‘fablab’. In the latter, companies from the region showcase their work. Currently it’s possible to see and try 3D printing. Another very interesting part on this floor are the research laboratories. You can view prehistoric, geological, biological and palaeontological artifacts stored in the hundered drawers of the cabinets here.

Exploring the region, nature and climate

Moving on to the second floor, we learn loads more on the environment you are currently in; the Dolomites. Learn more about the geology and it’s origin, it’s subsoil resources and the environmental risk and civil protecting of the region. As beautiful as the region is, risks of flooding and other natural disasters are always present yet the resources and beauty however make it a region lots of people want to live.

Getting closer to the top, on the third floor the focus is on the biodiversity and changes of season. Discover all the wonderful creatures and nature all season around. It features many of the wildlife you find in the forest in Trentino and motivates you to go out and explore the region by yourself.

Reaching the last indoor floor, have a look at glaciers, climate, exploration and research. It shows the beauty the of the most majestic natural events but also warns about it’s fragile nature. Lots of glaciers around the world are drastically shrinking, indicating the changes to climate that currently have the world by it’s throat. A floor with beauty combined with a reality check!

Consuming it all at the panoramic terrace

And after all these floors of interesting an informative exhibitions it’s now time to take a breath on the panoramic terrace. With a beautiful view trough the valley and from the city of Trento, it’s an invite to go out in the mountains and enjoy the flora and fauna around. With all the newly learned knowledge and information, you look at it with a different set of eyes.

And if there is one thing to take away from it all, it is to enjoy our planet but be more conscious then ever on our role and the ways we affect and can protect this wonderful world we live in!

How to visit MUSE

The address of MUSE is Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3 in Trento. It’s very close to the city center, just 10 minutes away from Piazza del Duomo. The museum has facilities and is completely accessible for the disabled.

Buy your tickets online or at entry of the museum. At the moment of writing adult tickets are a well worth investment of 10,- EUR per person. For families with children discount rates apply.

Parking can be done in the parking garage below the museum. Do note that the garage usually closes one hour after the museum does. And if it’s closed it is properly closed. Consequently, if your car is still there, it’s safely locked up from anyone accessing it, including you! Yes, I speak out of own experience…

More, up to date, information on ticket pricing and opening hours can be found on the MUSE website.

When hiking around in this region you will discover many caves. Having a close look during your hike will even let you find artifacts like cans, bottles and even ammunition of the first world war. This is because this area was the front line of the Italian and Austro-Hungarian war. Ossario del Pasubio tells the story and the museum next doors gives a very detailed view on the history.

The Ossario del Pasubio

The Ossario del Pasubio, translated in English as the Pasubio Monastery, has it’s origins in 1917.  The idea was to build a chapel. A monument dedicated to the fallen in the First World War.

Construction started in 1920 at an altitude of 1217 meters. The position was chosen because of it’s beautiful views over the valley and because it allows you to see the shape of the monastery from across the Vicenza plain.

Construction was hard due to the cold, hostile winters and collection of funds. On August 29, 1926 the monastery was inaugurated. It consist out of two parts. The ossuary and the chapel. You find the ossuary in the tower stand and it includes a central crypt and two concentric galleries. In the central crypt the remains of 70 decorated soldiers are kept while in the galleries the remains of another 5146 Italian and 40 Austro-Hungarians are stored. The bones of the fallen are visible which gives it a chilling touch.

The chapel can be reached by entering the tower on the south. Using stairs to the top, you’ll find the small chapel. The inside of the tower is decorated with beautiful frescoes and artistic stained glass.

The 1^st army museum

The museo 1^a armata completes the story that the monastery is trying to tell. In this museum you will find exhibitions explaining the war itself. It’s a modern museum giving a neutral insight with various levels of perception. It displays memorabilia, images, 3D reconstructions and multimedia outlets.

Events at Ossario del Pasubio

Every year on the last Sunday of June there is a celebration in memory of the fallen. This is also in memory of the anniversary of the bloodiest battle fought on the nearby massive on July the second, 1916.

Combining your visit with the outdoors

The monastery and museum are very interesting to visit but truly stand out by the fact it’s can easily be combined with a wonderful hike. You can plan in a visit during the hike. At the Ossario del Pasubio you find a little bar for refreshments.

Personally I’d recommend to park at Pian de Fugazze and hike around Monte Cornetto. There are several signed post paths either taking you around or even to the top of Monte Cornetto. Note that this hike will take you a couple of hours and making your way up to the top requires fitness.

If you want to skip the hike, take a nice 2 km walk. Walk the road from Pian de Fugazze to the Ossario del Pasubio and be surprised by the views at arrival!

How to get there

You can reach the Ossario de Pasubio using the SS46 from both Rovereto and Schio. This drive itself gives you very nice views over the valley and mountains. From Pian Delle Fugazze, the top of the pass, it’s a small 2 km to Ossiario del Pasubio.

More information on the tower, museum and events can be found on the Ossario del Pasubio website. (Italian only)