Musée des Merveilles, Archaeological museum in Tende, France
The Musée des Merveilles is an archaeological museum in Tende dedicated to ancient rock carvings found across the surrounding landscape. The exhibits display artifacts and objects that reveal how people lived and worked in this region over thousands of years.
The museum opened in 1996 to preserve findings from prehistoric times spanning several thousand years. These early periods show the first traces of human settlement in this part of the Alps.
The museum's name references the ancient rock carvings that local people have long regarded with wonder. The collections show what mattered to people who lived here thousands of years ago through images of animals, tools, and symbols they carved into stone.
The museum sits at the foot of Mount Bego, which helps visitors find their way if they plan to explore the surrounding mountains. The area is most accessible during warmer months when hiking trails in the region are open.
The museum uses advanced technology to create three-dimensional models of the ancient carvings, revealing details that are hard to see with the naked eye. This research method has helped uncover thousands of figures that would otherwise remain hidden from view.
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