Palaeontology

Systematic Palaeontology Collection

This collection consists of fossils belonging to all the major biological subdivisions of the past, classified by taxonomic groups. It is of great scientific interest, particularly certain nominal collections, such as those of:

• Philippe de la Harpe: nummulites
• Alice Schnorf-Steiner: stromatoporoids
• Barbey/Forsyth-Major: Miocene vertebrates from the island of Samos.

Some extraordinary pieces, such as the mammoth from Le Brassus, the ichthyosaur from Holzmaden and the giant palm fossils from northern Italy, are on display in the exhibition galleries.

Stratigraphic palaeontology collection

This includes fossil and rock samples from different countries, representing the various geological periods from the Earth's origins to the present day.