It was conceived 25 years ago by Ivan Fossa, a passionate naturalist from Puos d’Alpago, in response to numerous requests from local scholars and teachers who wanted to see gathered and preserved in one structure the great natural wealth of the area to be shared with children, young people, families, and all enthusiasts of the rich biodiversity of the Belluno territory. The exhibits are spread over the three floors of the building and present, with an educational focus, interesting collections and specimens from all sections of the Natural Sciences related to the Conca dell’Alpago and the entire province of Belluno.
The visit to the Museum begins with the section dedicated to the Zoology of vertebrates on the ground floor. Here, all the faunal groups of the Belluno territory are represented: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals perfectly preserved and donated by Ivan Fossa himself. Continuing the visit to the first floor, the rich collections of insects, spiders, butterflies, and mollusks are added.
Two rooms are also dedicated to Geology and Mineralogy, analyzing the different characteristic aspects of the territory and numerous specimens that testify to the geological history of the Alpago and the Dolomites. Some display cases delve into Paleontology, with the rarity of a jaw of an Odontocete (a species similar to dolphins that inhabited the ancient sea of Alpago), Archaeology, with ancient Roman artifacts found at the Staol site of Curago near Pieve d’Alpago, and Human Anatomy explained through detailed educational panels. On the top floor is the large room dedicated to Botany with detailed dioramas that faithfully reproduce some environments populated by animals and prehistoric hunters, the rich collections of fungi (mycotheca) and wood in section (xilotheca) and, among the exhibited specimens, a jaw of an Odontocete (a species similar to dolphins that inhabited the ancient sea of Alpago) and also, in the display dedicated to fish, the famous Sampierolo, an endemic fish of Lake Santa Croce.
