Naturéum

About the museum

The Naturéum is the cantonal natural science museum of the canton of Vaud. Its roots go back to 1818, when the Musée cantonal was founded and collectors donated minerals and fossils, among them Jean de Charpentier, director of the Bex mines, and Frédéric-César de la Harpe. Zoology only really got going after 1833 with the purchase of the collection of Daniel-Alexandre Chavannes, and successively filled several rooms of the Old Academy.

With the construction of the Palais de Rumine in 1906, a shared home was created for the museum, the university laboratories and the specialist libraries; geology moved in in 1906, and the zoological collections followed in 1909. The zoology galleries have been preserved in their original form to this day, with historic display cases and the comparative anatomy room; only the north hall with extinct animals has been renewed. Geology presents fossils, minerals and meteorites over around 840 square metres.

Since January 2023, the cantonal museums of botany, geology and zoology have together formed the Muséum cantonal des sciences naturelles, known as the Naturéum. It is spread across three public sites: the Palais de Rumine, the Cantonal Botanical Garden in Lausanne and the alpine garden “La Thomasia” in Pont de Nant. This entry describes the permanent exhibitions at the Palais de Rumine.

Highlights

• Great white shark of 5.89 metres, one of the largest mounted specimens in the world
• Zoology galleries in the style of a 19th-century museum with a comparative anatomy room
• Mammoth from Le Brassus, ichthyosaur from Holzmaden and dinosaurs
• Around a hundred fluorescent minerals like a starry sky
• Permanent exhibitions free of charge, family trail for children from age 2

Permanent exhibitions

• Dauerausstellung Zoologie – Historic galleries in 19th-century style with a tiger, elk, polar bear, the 5.89-metre great white shark and a comparative anatomy room; a renewed hall shows extinct animals.
• Dauerausstellung Geologie und Paläontologie – Fossils, minerals and meteorites over around 840 m²: mammoth from Le Brassus, ichthyosaur from Holzmaden, giant palm fossils, dinosaurs and fluorescent minerals.

Founded

1818

Operated by

Kanton Waadt (Direction générale de la culture)

Director

Nadir Alvarez

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission: Every first Saturday of the month: free admission, including to the special exhibitions.

The permanent exhibitions on geology and zoology are free. Programmes for school classes are free.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• 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

Access via the North Pergola, from there a lift for people with reduced mobility to the Palais's central lifts. The museums are fully accessible for wheelchair users. Pets are not allowed in the building.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Two family trails in the zoology galleries (5th floor): the Rainbow Trail for children aged 2 to 6 and the Zoo Quiz from age 7; the materials are available free at the reception. Children's birthday parties for 8- to 11-year-olds (max. 10 children, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays 2–4:30 p.m., CHF 170, registration at least one month in advance) with a Pokémon hunt or a rally.

Getting there & parking

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