Fondazione Ugo Da Como - Rocca di Lonato (Brescia)

The Ornithological Museum Gustavo Adolfo Carlotto

Brief history

The collection of stuffed birds of the Civic Ornithological Museum of Lonato, placed in the holder of the Castle's house, was gathered at the beginning of the 20th-century by Gustavo Adolfo Carlotto (Lonigo 1886-1970), who was at the time director of a big farm in Bagnolo di Lonigo (Vicenza).

This specimens, which present in complete way the Italian avifauna, are well conserved even if they are more than a 100 years old. They were stuffed by a famous Italian taxidermist: Marco Gianese.

This collection was once made up by more than 1800 birds and, before being bought by the city of Lonato, belonged to the Don Calabria Institute of Verona. They were exposed in the abbey of Maguzzano until 1989 and only they found their current location in the castle only in 1996.

The organization of the museum

The museum is at the moment located in the four rooms which make up the first floor of the house where once lived the holder of the castle, in the centre of the Rocchetta.

The exposition is divided following ecological criteria: the specimens are kept in different showcases according to their habitats (woods, mountains, highlands, Mediterranean, salty, fresh-water, rural, urban, of Lake Garda areas). There are also other sections reserved to those specimens which have some peculiar characteristics (for example their origins or their featherings).

It is very important to consider that these sections are sometimes forcing, since many birds could be classified under different habitats.

For more information: www.comune.lonato.bs.it/museo_ornitologico.