Musée Terra Amata, Nice

The Terra Amata Museum is located on top of an old archeological dig. So, it is no wonder that they specialize in Human Paleontology. The homonym site dates back around four hundred thousand years. The location also has displays that talk about the first humans that inhabited the area around Nice.

Inside, you can see displays of what an elephant hunter’s camp might have looked like, and what cave dwellings look like. You can also see the actual artifacts of the period, which were taken from the excavation site here. You can also see a footprint here that is some of the only evidence around for proof of Terra Amata’s homo erectus species. The museum also has some wonderful research faculties available for people wishing to do some scholarly research. The library is open by appointment from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. each day. The museum is also open to the public for free, so that is a great vacation budget stretcher. It is definitely worth the visit.