Founded in 1973, the Mineralogical and Paleontological Group of Fornaci di Barga began its activity searching for fossil finds in the mountains around the Serchio valley. Shortly thereafter, they also began collecting minerals, preferring the sites of the old abandoned mines. In 1977, the first exhibition of the materials collected by volunteers was set up. The Group has a mineral collection and a palaeontological collection. The former is made up of minerals and rocks from the territory of Lucca. More than 150 types of minerals have been catalogued; particularly interesting is the collection of marble (about 50 types). The palaeontological collection is made up of fossils from the territory of middle and upper Garfagnana.

The Group has contributed to the formation of the first nucleus of today’s Civic Museum of the Territory of Barga, and curated its palaeontological section.