The Mediterranean: nature and civilisation

This exhibition gives you a unique glimpse into the most representative wildlife of the Spanish Mediterranean area and the ecosystems that shape its landscapes; along with wildlife, we have represented human activities and the factors that currently pose a threat to the conservation of a particularly vulnerable area.

The strength of this exhibition is that it brings together the best specimens of the Museum’s collections to illustrate terrestrial and marine Mediterranean biodiversity, live and fossil; the specimens are accompanied by dioramas that recreate the main Mediterranean landscapes. The MNCN has very rich holdings of Mediterranean fauna and, more particularly, of the Iberian wildlife. We have assembled these collections for over 200 years, and we constantly upgrade them with new materials from the most recent Museum research projects.

Marine fauna occupies a privileged space in the exhibition, illustrating the composition and diversity of the Mediterranean seabed and the main zoological groups of its inhabitants.

Other highlights include the 7-metre-long squid that was found off the coast of Fuengirola (Málaga). The specimen is stored in alcohol in a large display case, together with a model recreating its real-life appearance, an explanatory video, and a three-dimensional simulation on the few details we know for sure about the biology of the giant squid.

Mediterranean, nature and civilization has been brought to you in collaboration with Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo.