See the giant mastodon tusks that turned a small Grevena village into an important palaeontology stop
The museum in Milia gives a precise reason to leave the main road. Fossils found in the surrounding area include remains of mastodons that lived millions of years ago, with a pair of remarkably long tusks providing the centrepiece. The display is most useful when read as evidence of a very different climate and ecosystem, not simply as a record-breaking object. Its village scale also makes the story of local discovery tangible.
Opening can depend on staffing and group arrangements, so telephone or ask the regional tourism office before making the drive. Allow forty-five minutes to an hour and expect some interpretation to be in Greek. Do not touch the fossils or lean over display barriers. Milia is easy to combine with Grevena city, but not with every western mountain excursion on the same day; distances and winter road conditions are greater than they appear on a map.
Good to know
Palaeontology, Mastodon, Fossils, Milia, and Family learning
