Muséum Requien

About the museum

The Muséum Requien is named after Esprit Requien (1788–1851), a naturalist, bibliophile and art lover from Avignon. In 1840 he bequeathed his collections and library to the Musée Calvet for the benefit of his fellow citizens. This holding is the origin of the city’s natural history collections, now managed by the City of Avignon together with the Institut Calvet.

The natural science collections were brought together in the 1940s in the Hôtel de Raphaélis de Soissans on rue Joseph Vernet, where the museum still stands. The museum holds the designation “Musée de France.”

The holdings are estimated at about 1.2 million specimens. They include geology (fossils, rocks, minerals), zoology (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects and shells, stuffed or as skeletons) and botany. Requien’s herbarium alone holds between 150,000 and 300,000 plants. A permanent exhibition traces the geological history of the Vaucluse, and a natural science library, begun by Requien, is open to enthusiasts.

Highlights

• Free admission for everyone
• Permanent exhibition on the geological history of the Vaucluse
• Esprit Requien’s herbarium of several hundred thousand plants
• Zoology collections: stuffed animals, skeletons, insects and shells
• Housed in the Hôtel de Raphaélis de Soissans

Permanent exhibition

• Exposition permanente : histoire géologique du Vaucluse – A geology and paleontology route tells the story of the département and its surroundings, with fossils, rocks and minerals.

Operated by

Ville d'Avignon

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission for everyone.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• 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 ground-floor level is accessible to wheelchair users. The museum is marked with a label for intellectual disability.

Kids & families

The museum welcomes school classes and school groups by reservation.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located at 67 rue Joseph Vernet, in the center of Avignon. The museum holds the Accueil Vélo label.

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