Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Natural History of Nantes originated in 1799, when François-René Dubuisson, a passionate pharmacist, created a natural history firm on Caylus Street (now Saint John Street). This first space, intended to educate young people, brings together collections of geology, mineralogy and botany. In 1806, the municipality acquired these collections and installed them in the former surgical school of Saint-Côme, rue du Port-Communeau (now Léon-Blum Street). The museum officially opened on August 15, 1810, with Dubuisson as curator until his death in 1836.

From 1836 to 1863, Frédéric Cailliaud succeeded Dubuisson and enriched the collections of natural sciences. In view of the smallness and humidity of the premises, a move project is envisaged, in particular towards the former Mint Hotel, Voltaire Street. Finally, a new building is built in Place de la Monnaie, backed by the Monnaie Hotel, designed by architect Gustave Bourgerel. The first stone was laid in 1868, and the museum was inaugurated on 19 August 1875, becoming one of the first in France to occupy a building specially built for him.

In the 20th century, the museum grew and modernized. In 1955, a vivarium was created to expose live animals, and in 1970, the departure of the business school freed spaces, allowing for major restructuring. Inaugurated in 1980 after ten years of work, the museum then integrates the former Mint Hotel, with new rooms dedicated to prehistory, paleontology and a conference room. The collections, made up since the 18th century, cover all areas of natural history, including rare specimens such as a whale skeleton or a meteorite.

Since 2000, the museum has undergone several renovations (vivarium in 2003, zoology gallery in 2008, Earth Sciences gallery in 2009). In 2015, it became a metropolitan equipment. In 2023, an ambitious renovation project was launched to rethink its role in addressing contemporary environmental issues. The museum will close in November 2025 for four years, aiming to double its exhibition spaces (from 2,200 m2 to 4,000 m2) and to create a science Agora, a third place dedicated to scientific mediation.

Among the remarkable pieces are an 18-metre common whale skeleton, collected in 1991 after an accident with a LNG tanker, and a meteorite fallen in 1841 near La Roche-sur-Yon. The vivarium was home to local and exotic species until 2025, while a scientific library provided access to 30,000 books and archives. These spaces will merge into the future Agora of Science, designed to facilitate dialogue between the public, researchers and mediators.

External links