Discovering Trentino, from prehistory to the history of the Dolomites

Founded in the 1970s, the Lake Ledro Pile Dwelling Museum,territorial branch of the MUSE – Science Museum, takes visitors through the daily life of the Bronze Ageamong reconstructions and original remains of a pile-dwelling village (2.200-1350 B.C.) discovered on the eastern shore of the lake. In 2011, the site was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The remains of the pile dwellings came to light again in 1929 when, as a result of the lowering of the lake level, more than ten thousand piles surfaced, tevidence of one of the largest prehistoric settlements in Europe. 

The museum displays handicrafts from the pile-dwelling village, one of the most important in the Alps. Reconstructions of four huts complete with furniture and furnishings show visitors how their ancestors lived during a normal day.

The Geological Museum of the Dolomites in Predazzo specializes in the geology of the Dolomites of the Fiemme and Fassa Valleys and is part of the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. Founded in 1899 to enhance the local geological and naturalistic heritage and to promote awareness of it, it has been a territorial section of MUSE since 2012.

Set up on two floors, the geological display of more than 11,000 specimens allows visitors to immerse themselves in the Dolomite landscapes while discovering their history and significance. On the ground floor, the path offers a window into the Dolomites with the aim of highlighting their centrality in the birth of scientific thought. The basement offers a journey through the Dolomites of Fiemme and Fassa presented in their peculiarities and their relationships with the surrounding mountain massifs: the Lagorai, Catinaccio, Sella, Marmolada, and Monzoni.

Among the upcoming novelties is the exhibition “The Routes of Tourism. Road, rail and hospitality in Fiemme from the 1700s to the present,” which is housed in both museum facilities, and a rich schedule of theater-science shows, geological workshops and trekking in the area.

Also kicking off these days is the social campaign #DolomitesMuseum, promoted by the Network of Museums of the Dolomites and the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation, of which the Geological Museum of Predazzo is a part: five keywords and five weeks to tell about your Dolomites.