ASTI - The Prehistoric Whales exhibition, one of the most important European collections of cetacean fossils, was inaugurated in the ex church of Gesù, in Asti, hosted by the Territorial Paleontological Museum of Asti, which will lead to the exhibition, for the first time, fossil remains of the most important cetaceans found in Piedmont, some of which are unique in the world.
The collection presents the remains of various cetaceans such as the Tersilla whale, a unique find in the world; the oldest whale in the Mediterranean, found in Moleto, the whale of Montafia, one of the best preserved fossil mystics in Italy; the dolphin of Camerano Casasco, ancestor of both the current dolphins and the current killer whales. The collection is enriched with life-size reconstructions of the cetaceans, installations and an evocative 3D animated video that tells the story of the ancient Padano Sea.
The exhibition is part of the broader project of the Piedmontese Fossil Cetacean Study Center, the first in Europe, which could become a point of convergence for scholars, as well as a pole of excellence on these issues. The Museum thus takes the first step to arrive at the Unesco candidacy.
"Prehistoric whales". The exhibition is also one of the flagship events of the Douja D'Or 2021, during which the Museum will be open exceptionally even in the evening.