Grifo is not just any mascot. In fact, he is a mysterious mythical creature. His origins date back to the 3rd millennium BC! The correct name for this creature, which usually has the body of a lion and the wings, talons and head of an eagle, is a griffin. But here, no one calls it anything but Grifo.

The mythical creature known as the griffin is a symbol of determination and perseverance. It was traditionally believed that griffins liked to settle wherever they pleased and that no one could drive them away. When you imagine that it is half lion and half eagle, this is hardly surprising. Some palaeontologists even believe that the griffin was once inspired by occasional discoveries of skeletons of horned dinosaurs (the Protoceratops species, if you're interested) in the Gobi Desert. That could well be the case. In any case, we renamed the griffin Grifo and entrusted him with the supervision of not only the entire museum, but especially its youngest visitors. In short, Grifo is our cute furry mascot with a truly long pedigree and an excellent reputation.