by InTrieste
As part of the ongoing public education initiative “Learning While Walking 2025,” the Civic Museum of Natural History of Trieste is hosting a geological excursion through the Liburnian Karst this Saturday, a unique landscape shaped during the transitional period between the Cretaceous and Paleocene eras.
Leading the walk will be Marco Muscioni, a doctoral candidate at the University of Bologna, who will guide participants through an area that bears evidence of one of Earth’s most significant events: the mass extinction that marked the end of the age of dinosaurs, known as the K/Pg boundary.
The terrain, now part of the Trieste hinterland, was once a vastly different environment—characterized by shallow seas, lagoon systems, and brackish habitats. Fossils found in the region serve as remnants of that ancient world and offer insight into the flora and fauna that once thrived there. These geological formations, scattered across small localities, provide valuable material for both scientific study and public engagement.
The event is free and open to the public, although prior registration is required. A registration form can be downloaded from the museum’s website and must be submitted at the meeting point. Forms will also be available on-site.
Participants are asked to meet at 2:45 p.m. in Banne, at the parking lot in front of the former Monte Cimone barracks. The area is accessible by public transit via Bus No. 51. Organizers recommend wearing hiking shoes and being prepared for uneven terrain. The walk will proceed in all weather conditions, with any cancellations or changes assessed at the site.
Through initiatives such as this, the Civic Museum of Natural History continues its efforts to make scientific discovery accessible beyond the classroom—inviting the public to engage with deep time one step at a time.
