Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Rouen

Museum in Rouen

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Fab5669

The Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Rouen, located at 198 rue Beauvoisine, is one of France’s most significant natural history museums outside of Paris. Founded in 1828 by Félix Archimède Pouchet, it houses an extensive collection of over 800,000 objects, encompassing fields such as zoology, botany, geology, and ethnography. The museum is renowned for its diverse exhibits, including taxidermied animals, botanical specimens, and cultural artifacts from around the globe. Its ethnographic collections are particularly notable, featuring items from Oceania and Asia, developed in collaboration with indigenous communities and artists.

Housed in the historic Couvent des Visitandines, a 17th-century convent repurposed during the French Revolution, the museum offers a unique architectural backdrop for its collections. The building’s historical significance adds depth to the visitor experience, blending cultural heritage with scientific exploration. In 2009, the museum received the “Tourisme et Handicap” label, recognizing its accessibility for visitors with motor and mental disabilities.

As of September 2024, the museum is temporarily closed for extensive renovations aimed at enhancing its facilities and visitor experience. The reopening is anticipated in 2028, when it will emerge as part of the new Musée Beauvoisine, a cultural hub combining the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle and the Musée des Antiquités. This initiative seeks to create a comprehensive space dedicated to natural history and archaeology, further enriching Rouen’s cultural landscape.

The Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Rouen appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Rouen!

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