Mr.Roberto Cobau, teaching at the high school from 1923 to 1941, collected a lot of materials which allowed us to set up a museum in the school for the 80th Righi high school foundation anniversary.
Because of the Second World War the collection was interrupted and all materials had been hidden in the basement where they had remained until now.

Mr.Cobau's collection is about: Botany, Geology, Mineralogy, Paleonthology and Zoology.
They were well kept and they are accessible to the students for their researches and reports.

The selection and the repair of materials was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Provincial Administration which gave the funds, and thanks to a Committee which is composed of: the headmaster, the DSGA, Prof. Felice, Prof. Forlani and Prof. Sabelli from Bologna University, and two high school teachers.

During the selection of the materials they found some particular valuable finds: an ancient Herbarium, one of the trilobite moulds made by Prof. Capelletti, some native stuffed bats and a collection of gypsum taken from the Bolognese caves which now are disappeared or inaccessible

The Museum is dedicated to Prof. Roberto Cobau who taught in this high school from 1929 to 1949, and who collected most of the materials.

PALEONTHOLOGY

The fossils on display are specimens of process of fossilization: substitution or mineralization (CaCo3 pyrite - silica) and formation of external models = in negative or external models = impression in positive of the hard parts of the fossils. An example on evolutive mass: ammonite - nautilus. A geo-chronological - bio-stratigraphycal scale: from invertebrate molluscs to the first vertebrate creatures (fishes), from ferns to insects, to reptiles with some guide fossils. Many Bolognese fossils with examples of the so-called "cold guests" that are indicators of climatic history of the region.

MINERALOGY

Gold, silver, precious stones, pretty minerals and other less pretty ones, which make the rocks, useful to man and to the industry, are displayed in the glass case, starting from the internal range of their atoms which take a characteristic shape: crystal lattice. Other minerals on display refer to thematic areas for metals, quartz and Bolognese minerals. Also instruments of the years 1920-30 compared to the modern ones are shown to measure chemical and physical proprieties, above all optic proprieties such as: colour, fluorescence, refraction and phosphorescence.

GEOLOGY - PETROGRAPHY

Rock origin classification: magmatic, sediment, metamorphic.
The minerals, which make up the rocks, are shown in the museum and there is a reference to rocks cycle, too. We can also see a collection of eruptive material from "Vesuvio" and "Etna" eruptions of Twentieth Century. Some typical rocks from Bolognese countryside: "Septaries" and "Paesine" rocks. In the end there are specimens of oil and fossil combustible.

BOLOGNESE GYPSUM

A lot of specimens scientifically important are both a reference and a guide to the drawings of the various aspects of this mineral, which is a sedimentary steamy stone. The geological formation, the different varieties and shapes of crystallization and concretions, the ancient work of gypsum workers, the erosion and preservation techniques, from the caves to the safety of the environment are seen in the "GYPSUM PARK" (Parco dei Gessi).
At the bottom of the stairs, on the right, a stalagmite, more than one meter high, from the Carso caves, completes the exhibition.

ZOOLOGY

In front of the winding staircase, on the left, one of the two glass cases is situated. The display of the specimen is based on an evolution principle: from the sponges to the primates. In fact since the beginning of life on the earth some kinds of organisms have met obstacles to their growth and they were brought gradually to their extinction. Others were more successful and they could adapt to the different and new environment, splitting into a variety of forms. This is the evolution. Most models, mainly the INVERTEBRATES, are in formalin, on the right of the glass case, the marine invertebrates are set up, then the earth invertebrates; on the left side: insects, parasites, echinoderms and fishes are displayed. In the second glass case are exhibited only VERTEBRATES: from amphibians to birds and mammals. All the animals have been bought already stuffed in the Thirties, obviously before the actual normative about protection of animals threatened with extinction. In the opposite side of the room are shown some wonderful specimens: from an alligator to a primate.

BOTANY

The central glass case shows: up right, some specimens of Musks and Lichens; in the middle, beautiful reproductions of poisonous and eatable fungi; on the left, models of bacteria of Monera Kingdom, once classified as vegetables. The show is completed by beautiful specimens of sections of plants and flowers. The modern glass case on the right contains a historical and teaching series of arboreous essences (woods) and seeds dated back of the first half of Twentieth Century. This collection is interesting for a comparison to the actual existing species since, as we know, they are not genetically manipulated. In the modern glass case on the left, specimens of herbaria of various ages are on display: from the Seventeenth Century to the first half of the Twentieth Century, Professor Cobau gave the latter. On the right, on the corner of the room, a transversal section of a pine trunk of 117 years old is shown. In its rings of growth are pointed out some historic-scientific dates.