West of Trelew, the central Patagonian steppe is a prime dinosaur dig, and the city’s paleontological museum is reason enough to visit the city. Its main appeal is the magnificently mounted models of Argentine dinosaurs like the carnivorous Pianitzkysaurus floresi and Carnotaurus sastrei, but there are also dinosaur eggs, a genuine touchable dinosaur femur, and a working lab visible to the public.

At the same time, the museum acknowledges the achievements of pioneering Patagonian researchers like Florentino Ameghino, George Gaylord Simpson, and Alejandro Pianitzky in its hall of fame. It owes its name to an Italian paleontologist who came to Argentina in 1925 as a petroleum geologist for the state company YPF.

The Museo Egidio Feruglio (Avenida Fontana 140, tel. 02965/42-0012, www.mef.org.ar, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. weekends, US$6 adults, US$3 children age 12 and under) has a small café (with Wi-Fi) and a souvenir shop. It also arranges excursions to Geoparque Bryn Gwyn, near Gaiman.