Musée Buffon

About the museum

Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, a great naturalist of the Enlightenment, was born in Montbard in 1707. From 1734 he laid out the rocky spur, where the remains of the castle of the dukes of Burgundy stood, as a terraced garden. This five-hectare park, listed as a historic monument in 1947, has belonged to the Town of Montbard since 1885.

The Musée Buffon, a municipal museum opposite the park, holds the Musée de France and Maison des Illustres labels. Its building is also listed as a historic monument. It holds more than 3,800 objects, of which about 400 are on permanent display: scientific instruments, prints, stuffed animals, volumes of the Histoire naturelle and works relating to Buffon and his collaborator Louis Jean-Marie Daubenton, who was also born in Montbard.

The permanent circuit traces the development of science, from cabinets of curiosities to the emergence of the first natural history museums. It continues into the park, where guided tours reveal the Tour Saint-Louis, the Tour de l’Aubespin, Buffon's study and the underground rooms of the former fortress.

Highlights

• Permanent circuit on the history of science, from cabinets of curiosities to the first museums
• Portrait of Buffon by Drouais and volumes of the Histoire naturelle
• Five-hectare Parc Buffon, with free access all year round
• Guided tours of the Tour de l’Aubespin, Buffon's study and the underground rooms
• Free entry to the museum and park

Permanent exhibitions

• Parcours permanent du musée Buffon – Circuit on the history of science, from cabinets of curiosities to the first museums, around Buffon and Daubenton, with instruments, prints and stuffed animals.
• Parc Buffon et ses monuments – Terraced park on the former castle of the dukes of Burgundy; the monuments (Tour de l’Aubespin, study, underground rooms) are visited with a guide.

Founded

1980

Operated by

Ville de Montbard

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Access to the museum, its permanent exhibition and temporary exhibitions, as well as to the park, is free. Only the guided tours of the park's monuments are paid. They are free for under-18s, teachers with the Pass éducation, holders of a disability card, job seekers and ICOM card members. A reduced rate applies to TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté travellers heading to Montbard (ticket valid for less than 48 hours) and to several partner sites.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Two discovery bags (medieval castle, Parc Buffon) are lent free of charge at the reception for children from age 3, with puzzle booklets on the collections. The nature club welcomes children aged 7 to 12 during school holidays (€5 per session, €40 for the year, by registration). Family workshops and meetings are also offered.

Getting there & parking

The museum is a 12-minute walk or a 7-minute bike ride from the station. Bike racks are located near the museum and in front of the upper park entrance; repair kits are lent at the reception.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit