MegaMuseo di Aosta launches new cultural program with prehistoric sound installations

On February 14, 2025, the MegaMuseo in Aosta inaugurated a new cultural program directed by Generoso Urciuoli, appointed in autumn 2024. The program includes thematic exhibitions, conferences, immersive experiences, and a series titled 'Dal Mega al Micro' that pairs artifacts from the megalithic site with objects from other museums. The first chapter focuses on Prehistory and the Iron Age; the second will feature monthly dialogues between a MegaMuseo artifact and a 'twin' from the Museo Archeologico Regionale (MAR) in Aosta. Other initiatives include 'Sonorizzazione delle arature rituali,' which sonifies ancient farming machinery to explore the link between archaeology and sound, and 'Il MegaMuseo si racconta,' a series of talks about the collection. In May 2025, a creative writing workshop led by Paolo Ferrara will take place over four sessions. The museum spans 18,000 square meters of exhibition space, with 5,000 square meters of archaeological area and over 2,000 artifacts on three floors. It uses immersive environments and holographic screens to tell 6,000 years of history. A research highlight involves paleontologist Fabio Bona's study of animal traces from around 4000 BC near a dolmen tomb and grain storage area; if confirmed, the findings could push back the use of animals in agriculture by 2,000 years, reshaping knowledge of European farming practices.