Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée des Sciences de Laval was founded in 1833 when it received its first curator. Its initial collections come from the natural history and chemistry offices of the municipal library and the Central School. Until the 1850s, the museum functioned more as a storage place than as an exhibition. The donations of herbariums and minerals, particularly from local farmers, are gradually increasing its funds. In 1880, collections expanded significantly thanks to bequests of paleontological backgrounds, notably those of Jules Triger and the Count of Vienna.

Daniel Oehlert, a dedicated curator, plays a key role in enriching collections, particularly in geology and paleontology. He is the author of a description of 148 species and 20 new genera, giving the museum major scientific value. Louis Vallée, another influential curator, develops collections of ancient scientific instruments such as optical, electrical and chemical instruments. These objects often come from schools or private donations.

The museum occupied several places before settling in 1974 in its current building, a neo-Greek building built between 1890 and 1899. Originally designed to house a Museum of Fine Arts by the painter Charles Landelle, this monumental building in limestone and granite stone is decorated with sculptures, mosaics and bas-reliefs. It was inaugurated in 1899 by President Felix Faure. In 1996, the museum was entrusted to ZOOM, a centre for scientific culture, which placed the collections in reserve while organizing temporary exhibitions.

The museum's collections are exceptional in their diversity: 120,000 pieces including grass trees (30,000 boards), naturalized animals (600 birds, mammals, reptiles), fossils (60,000 specimens covering all geological eras), minerals (3,000 samples, including gold and stibine from the Lucette mine), and ancient scientific instruments. The library has 6,000 books, including rare works from the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Buffon, Linné, Cuvier and Lamarck.

The museum also manages the cave of la Roche, a prehistoric site, and preserves human artifacts from the Paleolithic to the Middle Ages, notably from the Saulges caves. These items include tools, weapons, pottery and jewellery. The collections also reflect local industrial and scientific history, with ancient velocipedes, phonographs and an astronomical clock.

In 1912, the museum was transferred to the Château de Laval before returning in 1974 to the neo-grec building, originally planned for the Beaux-Arts. This return is part of a desire to enhance the scientific and natural heritage of Mayenne, with mostly local collections, but also exotic specimens reported during expeditions or donations. The museum benefits from the label Musée de France, highlighting its heritage importance.

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