This mineralogy and palaeontology museum is host in the 17th century convent of the capuchin friars in Masullas, as a reminder of the vital work monasteries and convents did since the middle ages for the cultural and scientific development of the European countries.

Following the death of Charlemagne, monasteries became vital centres for European science and culture. For a long time, in their libraries, scriptoria and workshops liberally developed arts, sciences and literature. Thus, for centuries friars were the custodians of the old-age European culture, allowing the development of science although as a support of Christianism.

Monasteries also became ideal crossroads along pilgrimage routes, thus growing into powerful culture, science and technical skills dissemination centres; this task would be entrusted to museums since the 18^th century.

Since then, acquiring and preserving natural heritage, promoting its study and disseminating its features, has been the primary mission of modern Natural History Museums. The absence of such museums in Sardinia resulted in a worrisome impoverishment of that natural heritage resources already acknowledged by the first explorers of the island.

Nowadays, Natural History Collections are acknowledged by the Italian State amongst the Cultural Heritage to be protected and promoted, besides the artistic and archaeological heritage, not only for the purpose of preserving our biogeological and pre-historical identities, but also as an important cultural and tourist attraction.

To acquire a priceless collection such as our Mineralogical and Paleontological Collections, accumulated in decades of silent activity by Mr. Vincenzo Incani in Masullas and the whole Marmilla, was a duty and a tribute to our identity.

For the first time in Sardinia, a Museum, tried to retrace the geological history of the Island which originated Sardinia’s most iconic landscape and natural resources. Yet, without the slow action of such history, perhaps the Nuragic civilization would not have had obsidian, copper, silver and perhaps we would not have had history as we know it today.

In conclusion, making this convent a meeting and cultural hub as the celebrated monasteries of the past has meant relaunching the ancient Western cultural roots of the Island; telling the story of the island from a geological point of view has meant researching the most ancient biogeological roots of our region.

This ambitious project was realized thanks to a collective effort of the whole Municipality of Masullas and of its community, to whom goes my heartfelt thank you; this museum also owes a lot to Superintendent Dr. Marco EM Minoja, Ministry to Archaeological Heritage, who allowed the exhibition of the paleontological finds, a state property, in our museum.

I would also like to thank the Commissioner, Mr. Antonio Granara, and to the Museum Director, Mr. Luciano Ottelli, member of the Geomineral Park of Sardinia, who has long supported this initiative through the C.I.C.O., which develops within a broader program to enhance the geo-mineralogical peculiarities of the Park itself.

Finally, my last thank you goes to Ms. Lucia Baire, engineer and Member of the Culture Department of the Regional Council, for her remarkable support to the Museum, especially following its enlisting among the Museums recognized by the Regione Sardegna.

Mr. Mansueto Siuni
Mayor of Masullas