Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

The Arboretum in the Garden of Plants, Paris 

At last, a suggestion from a family member on something to visit while we are in Paris. Well worth the wait too!

The National Natural History Museum in Paris is considered to be one of the "greatest conservatories in the field of natural science" - The Michelin Green Guide. 

Amazing tin foil dragon in the Garden of Plants,
the Gallery of Evolution behind

The "museum" is comprised of many parts; for instance The Great Gallery of Evolution, Gallery of Endangered or Extinct Species, the Menagerie, the Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology, The Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, the Paris Zoo, The Museum of Man and others.

A beautiful bird at the Menagerie

Some of these museums are located in the Mouffetard quarter in the Latin Quarter so there is plenty to see around here. It's easy to access too, located very near the Gare d'Austerlitz.

One of the cool buildings at the Menagerie

I have brought both of my daughters, on different trips, to the Menagerie. I've read everything from horrific to sad reviews of this place. The horrific review was from the Let's Go guide which, frankly, is written by and for young adults looking for young adult fun, not from parents' or kids' perspective. However, we really enjoyed it. Although it's Zoo-like, it is not a modern zoo. The animals are housed in older buildings, which in themselves are cool. I have always felt the animals were well taken care of and provided an excellent opportunity for kids to learn about animals. I've always wondered if this was where Madeleine said "Poo-poo" to the tiger, but perhaps it was at the Paris Zoo located near the Bois de Vincennes.

The Aviary at the Menagerie

I visited the Museum of Man when I was 10 and thought it was fantastic. Unfortunately, the Zoo and Museum of Man are among a few of the museums that are closed for renovation while we'll be there. So the Zoo goes on my list for next time!

Flamingos in Paris!

Click here for more information about these museums.

And for more information about planning your trip to Paris, visit my web site ParisMadeSimple!