Muséum des sciences naturelles d'Angers
Angers natural history museum, spread across a 19th-century mansion, a former count’s palace and an arboretum: zoology, paleontology and herbaria.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum brings together several sites in the center of Angers. The Hôtel Demarie-Valentin, built around 1800 on the site of a church destroyed in 1796, was acquired by the city in 1958 and opened to the public in 1963; it houses the zoology gallery.
The paleontology collections have occupied a former count’s palace since 1885. Construction of the palace began around 1250 under Charles I of Anjou; it became the town hall in 1527 and a court of appeal in 1823. The Gaston-Allard arboretum, created in 1882, was bought by the city in 1959 and opened as a public park in 1964; it holds the herbaria.
A redesign of the garden in 1991 linked the galleries and made the three sites a single institution. The herbaria hold about 360,000 specimens and the zoological collections more than 100,000. The museum is preparing a new museum project and states that accessibility will be a priority.
Highlights
- Herbier Boreau, a rich botanical collection
- Fossil fish from Monte Bolca
- The Angers meteorite
- Specimen of an okapi
- “Waiting for Darwin” by Michel Beucher
Permanent exhibitions
- Galerie de zoologie – Stuffed animals in the Hôtel Demarie-Valentin, including an okapi.
- Collections de paléontologie – Fossils displayed in the former count’s palace, including the Monte Bolca fish.
- Operated by
- Ville d'Angers
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Students over 26, job seekers (proof dated within the last six months), holders of the Partenaires card, the Cézam card or friends-of-museum association cards |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 25 · Free admission for visitors under 26 all year round (general rule of the Angers museums) |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · One companion per visitor with a disability is admitted free (general rule of the Angers museums) |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students under 26; half price beyond that age |
| Discovery ticket (one admission to each of the six Angers museums) | €12 |
| Children’s activity | €5 |
Free admission: Free for everyone every day from 17:00 to 18:00
Free admission and reduced-rate conditions follow the common price scale of the Angers museums. The Muséolib’ (€15) and Muséofil’ (€20) passes give unlimited access to the collections.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is not currently accessible to visitors with reduced mobility; the future museum project is to make this a priority. Visit aids are available for download and in the free Handivistes app, in partnership with AcceSens.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 25 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Storytelling visit for ages 2 to 4, a game-style visit trail for families, and workshops for ages 7 to 10 on rocks and minerals.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Mendès France
Tram A: Hôtel de Ville or Centre de Congrès stop; Tram B: Centre de Congrès stop. Buses 3, 4, 9 and 10: Mendès France stop.
Angers is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris and 35 minutes from Nantes by train.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Bookshop and museum shop of the Angers museums.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
The museum states it can host events; spaces and conditions are presented on the Angers museums’ venue-hire page.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Visits and activities for families, groups and schools, with bookings at 02 41 05 38 38 (Monday to Friday, 10:00–12:00 and 14:00–17:00). |
