The Mammuthus Space: an interactive journey to prehistory from La Canonja

In the municipality of La Canonja, in Tarragonès, Europe's most remote past takes shape in a new facility that looks towards the future. The Mammuthus SpaceThe interpretation center dedicated to the Barranco de la Boella archaeological site, which opened last summer, features a museum-style approach that combines immersive technology, original artifacts, and experiences designed to bring prehistory closer to the general public. Located in the Mas del Hort del Abeurador, in a natural setting at the entrance to the municipality, the new facility occupies approximately 1,000 square meters and has a clear ambition: to preserve, study, and disseminate information about one of the most important sites for understanding the origins of human presence in Europe. A key site for understanding the first Europeans

The Barranco de la Boella ravine has been known since the late 19th century, but systematic excavations have been carried out since 2007 by the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-BÚSQUEDA). The research has revealed a collection of fossil remains and tools dating back more than a million years, a period that is poorly documented in Europe. The scientific work is directed by researchers Palmira Saladié and Josep Vallverdú, who have led the excavations and study of the site for almost two decades. The findings have contributed to rethinking the paradigm of human dispersal in Europe, demonstrating that the first populations arrived much earlier than previously thought. Among the recovered materials are remains of up to 29 animal species, including mammoth tusks, hippopotamus bones, and stone tools associated with the first hominins who inhabited this area of ​​the Camp de Tarragona region.

A museum designed to experience prehistory

The Mammuthus Space is not conceived as a conventional museum. The center is committed to interactive museography that combines touchscreens, audiovisual displays, recreations, and showcases with original pieces of high paleontological value. The tour begins inside the historic Mas del Hort del Abeurador building, where visitors delve into the scientific context of the site and the main discoveries that have been made. From there, the visit continues outdoors, with workshops and hands-on activities that allow visitors to discover how humans lived a million years ago. Original fossils, manipulable replicas, sounds, and audiovisual resources create an immersive experience that seeks to make the lives of the first inhabitants of Europe understandable. The tour ends in a garden area with a picnic area and outdoor recreation space, designed especially for families and school groups.

A strategic project for the municipality

The project was spearheaded by the La Canonja City Council in collaboration with the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-BUSCA) and several companies specializing in museography. The investment totaled 3.5 million euros. According to Mayor Roc Muñoz, the center aspires to become an international benchmark: "It's a magnificent center, and we must promote it worldwide. La Canonja will be known for housing one of the most important museums on prehistory." The facility, in the words of the Councilor for Culture, Science, and Knowledge, Salvador Ferré, "also aims to become a cultural and tourist driver for the municipality and the surrounding area." The center is primarily designed for families and school groups, but also for anyone, specialist or not, interested in this little-known period of European prehistory. A future scientific and cultural hub

The launch of Espai Mammuthus is part of a broader strategy to transform the Huerto del Bebedero estate into a hub for scientific outreach. The project will soon be completed with the construction of a digital planetarium on the same site. With this initiative, Canonja aims to establish itself as a benchmark for heritage and scientific education in southern Catalonia, and to place the Barranco de la Boella on the international map of research into the origins of humankind. Ultimately, Espai Mammuthus offers a journey back a million years, beginning in a small town in the Camp de Tarragona region, but telling a story shared by all humanity.