The Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest was founded in 1994 with the aim of studying, protecting, preserving and highlighting the Lesvos Petrified Forest, which is a Preserved Natural Monument with worldwide recognition due to its particularly great environmental, geological and paleontological value.
The headquarters of the Museum is located in the Sigri settlement of Western Lesvos, in the center of the protected area of the Petrified Forest. It is housed in a modern building of 1,597 m2 and is the only public cultural institution in Western Lesvos. The permanent exhibition sections include the history of the evolution of plants on earth, the findings of the Petrified Forest and the most important plant fossil sites of Greece as well as the geodynamic processes associated with volcanism and the geohistorical evolution of the Aegean region.
Petrified Forest Exhibition
The exhibition of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos attempts to highlight the value of the unique natural monument of the Aegean by presenting rare fossils from the collection of fossilized plants and animals derived from research in the area of Western Lesvos. The exhibition includes fossilized trunks, branches, fruits and leaves of a variety of coniferous and angiosperm trees and fossilized bones of animals that lived in the Lower Miocene period, 20 million years ago.
It includes exhibition sections listed:
- a) in the fossilization process and the different types of fossils that can be found in nature
- b) in the evolution of life on Earth with depictions of the paleo-environment and characteristic fossils for each of the major time periods in the history of the planet
- c) in the composition of the forest ecosystem of Aegis during the Lower Miocene
- d) in the Sequoia forests, the largest plant that lived on Earth
- e) in the terrestrial visiting areas and in the marine part of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos
- f) the chronological evolution of the flora in the Greek area with characteristic fossils from all over Greece,
- g) in the deinotherium of Lesvos, the oldest large mammal in the European area that migrated to Europe using the land bridges of Aegis.
The exhibition concludes with a reference to Theophrastus, a philosopher and student of Aristotle who was born in Lesvos and is considered the father of Mineralogy, Botany and Ecology. The first references to the Petrified Forest can be found in his works.
Exhibition Geohistorical evolution of the Aegean
The exhibition Geohistorical evolution of the Aegean presents the geological phenomena and processes that shaped the Greek area and in particular the landscapes of the Aegean islands and are connected with the creation of the Petrified Forest. The structure of the Earth’s crust, the causes and effects of volcanism and seismic activity in the Greek area and the geological evolution of the Aegean region during the last 65 million years are presented.
The exhibition presents impressive samples of minerals and rocks from Lesvos, Greece and the whole world, fossils and faithful copies of finds from the Greek area, constructions and 3D models,
It includes exhibition sections:
- a) The living planet – The lithosphere
- b) From the Tethys ocean to the Aegis plain
- c) Silicon minerals
- d) Volcanoes and volcanic rocks
- e) The geological structure of Lesbos
- f) From Aegis to the Aegean
- g) Earthquakes and active tectonics in the Aegean
- h) Life in the Aegean and the appearance of Man
The Museum has the necessary infrastructure for the study and research of the Petrified Forest, with fully equipped research laboratories. Its activities include recording and mapping of the Petrified Forest, research actions, excavation programs, fossil preservation program, actions to protect, highlight and manage the protected area of the Petrified Forest, organization of periodic exhibitions in Greece and abroad and publications. International scientific conferences, cultural events, exhibitions, scientific meetings, lectures are held in its facilities every year. Particular importance has been given to the implementation of educational programs.
The Museum collaborates with UNESCO’s Global Network of Geoparks, the Network of European Geoparks, with scientific bodies, Museums, Universities and Research Centers in Greece and abroad.
Sigri, Lesvos | P.C. 811 03 | 22530 54434
E-mail: info@lesvosmuseum.gr
Website: https://www.lesvosmuseum.gr/