Best Ways to Visit the Natural History Museum in Paris

Best Ways to Visit the Natural History Museum in Paris

Embedded near the Jardin des Plantes, Paris’ Natural History Museum is one of the most noteworthy landmarks in all of the city. More than this, it is one of the most enjoyable places to visit with children, so travelers from all over the world tend to want to stop here to take advantage of the entertainment. 

Natural History Museum in Paris – by Shadowgate – Wikimedia Commons

5 Reasons to Visit the Jardin des Planets in Paris

Contrary to popular belief, this museum doesn’t start and end at the permitter of this building. The museum is actually made up of a cluster of attractions scattered throughout different parts of the city — the central building just happens to be the main hub. 

I’ll elaborate in a bit, but rest assured this is everything you need to know to optimize your visit. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS: Wednesday TO Monday — 10am to 6pm

ADDRESS: 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France

METRO STATION: Quai de La Rapée 

Get Your Tickets in Advance

Luckily this is not an early-risers museum, with doors only opening at 10am each day. That said, you’ll still want to get out ahead of the queue and get your tickets in advance. 

This can be done online, and doing so will allow you the skip the regular ticket queue and move straight into admissions. During peak season, this process can save you hours of standing around waiting to be granted access — this is a popular attraction for families, as I mentioned. 

Museum of Natural History – by Ken and Nyetta – Wikimedia Commons

The Best Tactical Tips in Paris for Avoiding Mistakes

The permanent exhibitions all fall under a flat rate entry cost, while the temporary exhibits can all be added at additional fees. Please note that if you are under the age of 26, entrance is free! 

Know the Sections

There are some parts of this museum that are situated so far outside of the city center it actually requires a car to get there. For convenience sake, we’ll consider these entirely different museums altogether, and merely focus on the ones that are within walking distance of the central building. 

The Jardin des Plantes

This is the greenery surrounding and cradling the museum’s main building, and it is the only botanical garden in the entire city. One can spend hours wandering through the range of tropical plant life from all corners of France, and entrance to this part of the museum is entirely free to the public. 

Jardin des Planets – by Besopha – Wikimedia Commons

Grandes Serres du Jardin des Plantes

Deep within the gardens you’ll eventually come to a greenhouse structure. This is one of the permanent exhibitions of the museum, and it houses fauna and flora from different regions of planet Earth.

The Greenhouse – by Jebulon – Wikimedia Commons

The Menagerie

The famous zoo section of the Natural History Museum is also found in the outdoor gardens. Hope to over 150 different animal species, this is a center for conservation and research, and they allow the public to enjoy the space too.

Having opened its doors in 1794, this is one of the oldest zoos in the world. 

The Menagerie – by Guilhem Vellut – Wikimedia Commons

10 Reasons to Visit the Paris Zoo

Grande Galerie de l’Evolution 

Those interested in evolution or wandering around lifelike specimens will find great enjoyment in the central gallery. There are over 7,000 specimens to take you through the history and you’ll learn about evolution on a global scale. 

Galerie de Paléontologie et D’Anatomie Comparée

Bones, bones, bones! This section will give you an in-depth dive into the anatomy of around 650 species. Evolution encapsulated at its best, you’ll see how different animals have evolved into modern day.  

Galerie de Paléontologie et D’Anatomie Comparée – by MOSSOT – Wikimedia Commons

Musée de l’Homme

This is where you’ll explore the history of humankind through a more biological and cultural lens. It’s not within walking distance per se, but it is accessible via a short metro ride from the main museum. 

How to See It All

So, where does one begin? In my opinion, the best place to start on your Natural History journey is the gardens. I love doing a morning walk through the botanicals, which eventually brings one to Manzili: a Mediterranean restaurant in the heart of the gardens. Here, you can enjoy a hearty breakfast to fuel up for your entry into the museum space. 

Museum of Natural History – by Knowtex – Wikimedia Commons

After breakfast, make your way into the main museum and visit the indoor exhibits. I then find it wonderful to end one’s visit by re-entering the gardens for the zoo section. This rebalances the energy of the day quite nicely; not too much time indoors, and not too much outdoors either. 

Eat Out!

This is a fantastic museum experience, start to finish, but the one and only downside is definitely the in-house food options. While the cafe area in the Grande Galerie de l’Evolution isn’t bad, there are a few kiosks around the space where one can only delve into fried-food and sugar galore. 

The Ultimate Guide to the 20 Arrondissements of Paris

As mentioned, I recommend making the effort of eating your breakfast, lunch or early dinner outside of the museum grounds. The surrounding neighborhood has a plethora of wonderful eateries all within walking distance, with two great cafes situated in the Jardin des Plantes itself. 

Manzili in Paris – by Mazili – Uploaded by them

Some restaurants I recommend in the immediate area are:

• • Manzili
  • Bibimbap Restaurant
  • Au Soleil d’Austerlitz
  • Bobun Break
  • Taipei Gourmet