Pigafetta and the Giant Clam
Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian scholar and explorer. He joined the expedition to find a western route to the Spice Islands in …
Octacles
Why are they called tentacles when there are eight of them? Surely they ought to be called octacles? A fascinating exhibit from …
The Two-Headed Calf
A trip to any natural history museum is always a thrill to me. I loved the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History …
Rettile ittiosauro
There’s an Ichthyosaur fossil displayed at the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia. They evolved around 250 million years ago and some survived …
Gusci di molluschi
I was immediately drawn to this arrangement of fossil shells in the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia. Glorious, isn’t it? I …
Trilobite con pista
‘Trilobite con pista’, it says. No, it’s not an item on the Italian menu in the restaurant at lunch time, but the …
Fossil ferns and horsetails
I’m astonished every time I see detail in fossils. Their age, the heat and the pressure they have been subjected to, and …
The trophy room
A visit to the natural history museum in Venice can be a bit of a shock for those unprepared for a full-on …
Chimera
A trip to Venice isn’t complete without at least two hours visiting the Museo de la historia naturale. As well as dinosaur …