National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of Natural History

The National Museum of Natural History is located in Paris, France, and was officially established on June 10, 1793, during the French Revolution. It originated from the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants, founded by Louis XIII in 1635 and managed by royal physicians at the time. On March 31, 1718, Louis XV abolished its medical function, turning it into a purely royal park focused on natural history.

For much of the 18th century, the royal park was managed by Buffon, a pioneer of natural history. After the French Revolution, the royal institution was fortunately preserved. The royal park was transformed into the National Museum of Natural History by twelve professors, including the anatomist Georges Cuvier, the evolutionist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, and Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.

The primary purpose of establishing the museum was to impart knowledge, collect specimens, and conduct scientific research. It flourished in the 19th century, especially under the management of the chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul, when it rivaled the University of Paris in scientific research. For example, Henri Becquerel discovered the radioactivity of uranium while serving as chair of applied physics at the museum from 1892 to 1908.

The National Museum of Natural History has branches throughout France, including the original Royal Botanical Garden in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, which houses the Mineralogy and Geology Gallery, the Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy Gallery, and the famous Gallery of Evolution. The museum's herbarium, designated as P, preserves a vast collection of important plant specimens, totaling around 8 million. The Museum of Mankind, located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, features exhibits on ethnology and physical anthropology, including artifacts and fossils. The Vincennes Zoo in the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th arrondissement of Paris and the zoo in Clères in the Seine-Maritime department are also part of the museum.

Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle

Reason to visit: France’s most important natural history museum

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: France[France]

Province/State: Île-de-France Region [Ile-de-France Region]

City: Paris [Paris]