French National Museum of Natural History
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- French National Museum of Natural History
Description
Le Jardin des Plantes houses three buildings full of extraordinary treasures collected from over four centuries of scientific and botanical exploration. The historic Grande Galerie de l'Évolution is the best place to start on this journey of discovery into the life sciences.
Animals from around the world
The four-floor building with its impressive glass ceiling showcases the evolution of animal species since the emergence of life on earth. Under the diffused light of the 30-meter-high nave, you can admire more than 7,000 stuffed animals. Children will be enthralled by the immersive scenography, and will enjoy a range of virtual reality experiences to learn more about the challenges of biodiversity (from age 12).
Immerse yourself in the diversity of aquatic and terrestrial worlds on the three other permanent exhibition floors, like the room dedicated to 250 rare and extinct species. Take a break with the kids at the cafeteria on the first level and enjoy the view overlooking the great caravan of animals from the African savannah.
Journey to the heart of nature
Near the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution, geology enthusiasts will love “The Treasures of the Earth” exhibition in the mysterious Galerie de Minéralogie et de Géologie where visitors can admire a collection of unusual giant minerals.
Skeleton lovers can take a 450 million-year journey back in time in the Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie comparée. This charming, old-fashioned building was constructed in 1898, and is packed full of dinosaur skeletons, prehistoric animals and many other surprises. Fossils of all sizes retracing hundreds of millions of years of evolution will surely inspire the imagination.
Living things also have their place in the Jardin des Plantes. During your walk, let yourself be seduced by the diversity of plants that populate the garden by learning their names. In summer or winter, bask in the warmth of the Grandes Serres, greenhouses devoted to the biodiversity of the rainforest.
Away from the hustle and bustle, towards the Seine, take a stroll through La Ménagerie, one of the oldest zoos in the world. Among its 1,200 inhabitants you’ll find orangutans, red pandas, panthers, crocodiles, flamingos and reptiles, to the delight of both young and old.
Continue your visit in the other museums in Paris Region.
Community facilities
Access and contact
Metro: Gare-d’Austerlitz (lines 5 and 10), Jussieu (lines 7 and 10), Place Monge or Censier-Daubenton (line 7)
RER: Austerlitz (line C)
Bus: Lines 24, 57, 61, 63, 67, 89 and 91.
SNCF Railway station: Gare d'Austerlitz and Gare de Lyon
Days and opening hours
All year round, daily. Jardin des Plantes (botanical garden): open 7.45am – 8pm daily in summer and 8am – 5.30pm daily in winter.
Greenhouses and Botanic Gallery: open 10am – 5pm from the beginning of October until the end of March and 10am – 6pm from April to October. Closed on Tuesdays.
Gallery of Evolution: open daily 10am – 6pm. Closed on Tuesdays, 1 May, 25 December and 1 January.
Zoo: Open daily 9am – 5pm in winter and 9am – 6pm in summer.
Galleries of Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy: Open daily 10am Closed on Tuesdays, 1 May, 25 December and 1 January.
Prices
- Free entry for children < 3 years.
Gallery of Evolution: full price €9, concessions €7 Children's Gallery: full price €12, concessions €9 Greenhouses and Botanic Gallery: full price €7, concessions €5 Zoo: full price €13, concessions €10 Jardin des Plantes: free admission Galleries of Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy: full price €9, concessions €6
Special offer: Purchase of a full-price ticket to one site at the Jardin des Plantes allows the ticket holder discounted admission to the other Jardin des Plantes sites (upon presentation of the full-price ticket). Valid: 3 months.
Facility
- Restaurant
Services
- Ticketing in number
Tour
Spoken languages
- English
- French
Guided tour languages
- French
Documentation languages (home)
- English
- French
Bulletin board languages
- English
- French
Single mean time tour
90 minsSingle services tour
- Unguided individual tours available permanently
Accessibility
See on accessible.net- General
- Physical disability
- Deaf / Hard of Hearing
- Visual impairment
- Mental / Cognitive
- Family
- Senior
Access
Pratical informations
- access to the establishment: graspable outside call button
- floor-level pathways
- pathways that change levels are offset by a sloping surface
- adapted access control to the car park
- reserved and adapted parking space located close to the entrance of the site
- parking spaces laid out and connected to the road or building by an accessible pathway
- reception desk easily identifiable and accessible
- free admission for one accompanying person
- free admission on presentation of proof of entitlement
- the accessible entrance is the main entrance
- the accessible entrance is the secondary entrance (indicated)
- staff informed or trained
- specific tariff policy
- revolving entrance door
- automatic entrance door
- manual entrance door
- accessible information plates
- all documentation graspable
- performance room with a reserved space
- accessible cloakroom
- multimedia content access system
- spaces equipped with reserved spaces and adapted to people in wheelchairs
- floor-level establishment
- wheelchair loan
- seated area available
- seated areas available (several spread out across the entire site)
- présence d’un lave main dans les sanitaires adaptés
- accessible communal toilets
- toilets: transfer direction onto the toilet seat to the right
- toilets: transfer direction onto the toilet seat to the left
- Communal staircase adapted for secure movement
- adapted elevator
- elevator
- visual intercom
- adapted access control to the car park
- acceo: instant speech transcription and visio-interpretation in French sign language (LSF)
- reception/information desk equipped with a hearing assistance system with a magnetic loop
- reservation/contact via SMS and/or email
- reservation possible by webcam
- staff trained in French sign language (LSF)
- uniform signage to help people find their way around
- text/image signage
- performance or tour assistance aids
- visual alarm with flashing light in isolated spaces
- intercom equipped with a hearing assistance system with a magnetic loop
- audiovisuals are in French sign language (LSF)
- subtitled audiovisuals
- visioguide with overlay in French sign language (LSF)
- subtitled visioguide
- adapted elevator
- audioguides equipped with a volume control device
- audioguides equipped with induction loops
- independent visit possible
- guided tour in French sign language (LSF)
- guided tour in international sign language (ISL)
- guided tours with lip reading
- guided tours with an amplifying device
- guided tours with a magnetic loop device
- exterior pathways identifiable by touch
- exterior pathways visually identifiable
- exterior lighting control system in communal areas
- interior pathways identifiable by touch
- interior pathways visually identifiable
- audioguide with description elements
- audioguide with guidance elements
- Braille documentation
- documentation in enlarged characters
- swell paper documentation
- floor-level establishment
- offset or no obstacles at face height
- navigation assistance tool (e.g. map/model - in relief/large characters/contrasting colours)
- possibility to control the lighting
- magnifying glass loan
- glass surfaces identifiable via contrasted elements in relation to the immediate surroundings
- audiodescription system
- elevator with audio announcements for each floor
- elevator with identifiable call buttons
- Legible information plates
- specific accessible information plates
- tactile tour
- the dangers identified have been addressed
- brochures/documentations classified by topic
- simplified adapted documentation (illustration through images, photos, drawings)
- adapted signage
- adapted activities
- educational workshops
- adapted room cards
- specific tours
- floor-level pathways
- adapted opening hours (morning performances)
- children's programme
- childcare service
- family tariffs/free admission for children
- secure and closed establishment
- large lockers or left luggage lockers for pushchairs
- possibility to leave pushchairs at the cloakroom
- floor-level establishment
- baby carrier loan
- pushchair loan
- toilet facilities suitable for children (toilet seat and washbasin height)
- changing table
- children's/family applications for the tour
- audioguides with a children's circuit
- children's visit booklets/games
- pushchairs accepted for the tour
- visioguides with a children's circuit
- floor-level pathways
- Pathways that change levels are offset by a sloping surface
- pets accepted on site and during guided tours
- reception desk easily identifiable and accessible
- reception/information desk equipped with a sound amplification system
- free admission for persons aged over 60
- Offer adapted to seniors
- cloakroom
- documentation in enlarged characters
- floor-level establishment
- wheelchair loan
- magnifying glass loan
- cane wheelchair loan
- seated areas available (several spread out across the entire site)
- horizontal support rail
- diagonal support rail to enable the seated person to raise themselves up easily
- communal staircase adapted for secure movement
- private staircase adapted for secure movement
- stairs compensated for by a lift or an elevator
- audioguides equipped with a volume control device
- audioguides equipped with induction loops
- Legible information plates
- Specific accessible information plates (large characters)
- Copyright image:
- Maisant / Hemis / CRT Paris Ile-de-France