Muséum d’histoire naturelle de Tours

Over het museum

The Muséum d’histoire naturelle de Tours was founded at the end of the 18th century. In 1940, bombings destroyed both its buildings and its collections.

In the 1980s, the City of Tours acquired a characterful house in old Tours, the former présidial, to set up a new museum there. The building offers 1,000 m² across four levels. The first exhibition opened to the public at the end of 1989. Originally, the museum was designed around the theme of water, which is reflected in the colors (greens and blues) and in the shapes of the furniture.

Since 2006, the museum has also been the departmental shelter for new companion animals (NAC), which allows it to present live animals to the public: snakes, lizards, turtles, fish and insects. Since 2003, this municipal institution has held the “Musée de France” label from the Ministry of Culture.

The permanent exhibition on the third floor brings together taxidermied animals arranged by phylogeny, as well as rocks and fossils from Touraine. Bobby le phoque, once a star of the Tours botanical garden, can also be seen there.

Hoogtepunten

• Vivarium of nearly 200 m² with snakes, lizards, turtles, fish and ant colonies
• Taxidermied animals from arthropods to mammals, arranged by phylogeny
• Bobby le phoque and the bears Willy and Sophie, once stars of the botanical garden
• A western lowland gorilla taxidermied in the 1970s
• Rocks, fossils and stratigraphies of Touraine

Vaste collectie

• Les collections d’histoire naturelle – Permanent exhibition on the third floor: taxidermied animals from arthropods to mammals, rocks and fossils of Touraine.
• Vivarium – Nearly 200 m² of reconstructed habitats with snakes, lizards, turtles, fish, amphibians, arthropods and ant colonies.

Beheerder

Ville de Tours

Bezoekers per jaar

ca. 43.421

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Admission is also free for job seekers, RSA beneficiaries, school groups visiting freely, journalists, tour guides and ICOM members. Reduced rate guaranteed for holders of a Rémi transport ticket valid for less than 24 hours, a Rémi Découverte or Rémi Plus pass valid for less than 72 hours, or a Carmillon pass. Prices are those for 2026 and are subject to change by the municipality.

Toegankelijkheid

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

The temporary exhibition “Drôle de Bêtes!” is designed for young audiences. The vivarium features live animals, which children find fascinating.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The museum is in old Tours, just a few steps from Place Plumereau.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel

The shop at reception sells games, toys, books and souvenirs related to natural sciences, with a selection for each temporary exhibition. The museum library is currently closed.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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