Animals, Plants, Rocks and Minerals: The ISPRA Collections > A Multispecies Museum On Friday, October 3rd, the MUCIV – Museum of Civilizations in Rome presents the new permanent display of the paleontological and litho-mineralogical collections of ISPRA – the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research – alongside the solo exhibition Elisa Montessori. The Dream of the Red Room, an unprecedented dialogue between a selection of MUCIV’s Chinese collections and the work of one of Italy’s leading contemporary artists. Organized in collaboration between ISPRA – Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research – and MUCIV – Museum of Civilizations in Rome, with the support of ALES – Arte Lavoro e Servizi S.p.A., an in-house company of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the project for the new permanent exhibition – Animals, Plants, Rocks and Minerals: The ISPRA Collections > A Multispecies Museum – represents the culmination of a process launched in 2022. This process involved the study, restoration, and renewed presentation to the public of collections of extraordinary historical and scientific value. Comprising more than 150,000 specimens (fossilized animals and plants, rock and mineral samples, geological surveys, scientific instruments, busts, portraits, memorabilia, and archival documentation), the ISPRA collections reflect the work of the Italian Geological Survey and its scholars, who, in line with 19th-century thought, assigned science an essential role in the development of the modern national industry, placing humankind and its control over the environment at the center of complex and long-term processes. https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/ispra-events/animals-plants-rocks-and-minerals-the-ispra-collections-a-multispecies-museum https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/ispra-events/animals-plants-rocks-and-minerals-the-ispra-collections-a-multispecies-museum/@@download/image/c8bc2a40-5a15-4628-94cc-38ac0ecb6ce9.jpeg

Animals, Plants, Rocks and Minerals: The ISPRA Collections > A Multispecies Museum

On Friday, October 3rd, the MUCIV – Museum of Civilizations in Rome presents the new permanent display of the paleontological and litho-mineralogical collections of ISPRA – the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research – alongside the solo exhibition Elisa Montessori. The Dream of the Red Room, an unprecedented dialogue between a selection of MUCIV’s Chinese collections and the work of one of Italy’s leading contemporary artists.

Organized in collaboration between ISPRA – Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research – and MUCIV – Museum of Civilizations in Rome, with the support of ALES – Arte Lavoro e Servizi S.p.A., an in-house company of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the project for the new permanent exhibition – Animals, Plants, Rocks and Minerals: The ISPRA Collections > A Multispecies Museum – represents the culmination of a process launched in 2022. This process involved the study, restoration, and renewed presentation to the public of collections of extraordinary historical and scientific value.

Comprising more than 150,000 specimens (fossilized animals and plants, rock and mineral samples, geological surveys, scientific instruments, busts, portraits, memorabilia, and archival documentation), the ISPRA collections reflect the work of the Italian Geological Survey and its scholars, who, in line with 19th-century thought, assigned science an essential role in the development of the modern national industry, placing humankind and its control over the environment at the center of complex and long-term processes.

https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/ispra-events/animals-plants-rocks-and-minerals-the-ispra-collections-a-multispecies-museum
Animals, Plants, Rocks and Minerals: The ISPRA Collections > A Multispecies Museum
2025-10-03T19:00:00+02:00
2025-10-03T22:00:00+02:00
On Friday, October 3rd, the MUCIV – Museum of Civilizations in Rome presents the new permanent display of the paleontological and litho-mineralogical collections of ISPRA – the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research – alongside the solo exhibition Elisa Montessori. The Dream of the Red Room, an unprecedented dialogue between a selection of MUCIV’s Chinese collections and the work of one of Italy’s leading contemporary artists. Organized in collaboration between ISPRA – Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research – and MUCIV – Museum of Civilizations in Rome, with the support of ALES – Arte Lavoro e Servizi S.p.A., an in-house company of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the project for the new permanent exhibition – Animals, Plants, Rocks and Minerals: The ISPRA Collections > A Multispecies Museum – represents the culmination of a process launched in 2022. This process involved the study, restoration, and renewed presentation to the public of collections of extraordinary historical and scientific value. Comprising more than 150,000 specimens (fossilized animals and plants, rock and mineral samples, geological surveys, scientific instruments, busts, portraits, memorabilia, and archival documentation), the ISPRA collections reflect the work of the Italian Geological Survey and its scholars, who, in line with 19th-century thought, assigned science an essential role in the development of the modern national industry, placing humankind and its control over the environment at the center of complex and long-term processes.

When Oct 03, 2025 from 07:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Europe/Berlin / UTC200)
Where Rome, MUCIV-Museo delle Civiltà – Palazzo delle Scienze
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In the monumental Hall of Sciences on the first floor of MUCIV – centered around Mario Tozzi’s equally monumental marble inlay from 1942, specially restored for the occasion – these collections become the foundation for a new museology. One that highlights the stratifications and geological dynamism of our planet, the continuous transformations of landscapes, and the origins, diversification, and necessity of coexistence and interaction among all living species.

Drawing inspiration from the animal, mineral, and plant kingdoms, the re-exhibition of these collections not only lays the groundwork for the launch at MUCIV of ISPRA’s new school of environmental disciplines, but also for a series of educational and research initiatives. Dedicated classrooms and open storage spaces will host these activities, offering opportunities to reflect with the public on the extreme fragility of natural ecosystems, while inviting us to explore new forms and practices of ecological awareness and sustainability.

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