Entrance fee

FULL PRICE : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . € 5.00
REDUCED PRICE : . . . . . . . . . . .  € 2.00
people aged 18-25 years old, teachers, Cézam card holders, ANCAV-TT (works council association) Network Tourisme et Loisirs 44 card holders, Works Council and partner card holders, Large Family card holders. All people are entitled to the reduced rate one hour before the museum closes.

ADULT GROUP PRICE (applicable for 15 people or more) : . . . . . . . . . . . . € 3.00

FREE ADMISSION :
    • people under 18 years old
    • job seekers (registered at the Maison de l'emploi (Job Centre))
    • people on basic welfare benefit (French RSA) (with family welfare office (CAF) certificate)
    • disabled persons and their carers
    • people who receive the minimum old-age pension or old-age pensioner solidarity benefit (ASPA)
    • school, university and socio-educational groups on pre-reserved tours without a guide
    • teachers preparing a school visit or support teachers from the Local Education Office or the Education Authority
    • holders of the Nantes Tourist Office Pass, the annual 1-museum Pass for the museum concerned or the annual 4-museum Pass
    • civil-service leisure officer card holders, "Voyage à Nantes" local public service company (SPL VAN) card holders
    • Carte Blanche (under-privileged person) card holders
    • personnel from the Ministry of Culture, scientific personnel from the Museums of France
    • journalists
    • Nantes Métropole Tourist Office guides
    • holders of the passport for tourism professionals issued by the UDOTSI of Loire-Atlantique
    • ICOM (International Council of Museums) card holders
    • French or foreign personalities involved in political, cultural or scientific fields, within the framework of one-off operations carried out by associations and subject to a letter of invitation from the elected representative in charge of culture affairs
    • former resistance fighters, war veterans, disabled ex-serviceman
    • members of the associations linked to the museum (SNOFF, SNP)
For everyone:
    • on the first Sunday of each month from September to June (or the second Sunday if the first Sunday falls on a holiday and the museum is closed)
    • during the "Heritage Days", the "Museum Springtime", the "Museum Night", the "Voyage à Nantes (VAN) Night", or periodic night openings organised by the museum
    • on "Science Day" (Fête de la Science)

Please present a valid supporting document to benefit from a reduced rate or free admission

 

SUBSCRIPTIONS (valid for 1 year)

One-year 1-museum Pass with access to all museums during the Voyage à Nantes (VAN) festival : . . . . . . € 10.00
One-year 4-museum Pass with access to the VAN in the summer : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . € 20.00
(Fine Art Museum, Natural History Museum, Jules Verne Museum, Castle of the Dukes of Brittany Museum)

 

For further information, please call +33 2 40 41 55 00

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Before introducing our different spaces, here is a quick historical overview:

Initially, when it opened on August 15, 1810, the Museum was located in a different area of the city. 65 years later, it moved and started to welcome visitors on its current location on August 19, 1875. The building was then adjacent to the former Hôtel des Monnaies that would become, 25 years later, l’École Supérieure de commerce de Nantes (a business school). In 1970, this business school moved, and cleared some space for the Museum. Renovation works were made to join both edifices: classrooms were turned into exhibition rooms and the auditorium was kept to host conferences. As years passed by, various renovations took place, first in the seventies, then between 2008 and 2010.

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Since 1875, the gallery of Zoology has been, without a doubt, the most emblematic room of the Museum, partly ensuring its great reputation. It reopened in 2008, after two years of renovation works, providing the public with a new pedagogic and scientific approach, both updated and modernized. One thousand of displayed specimens are now classified according to the Phylogenetic tree.

Don’t miss the “Birds’ mezzanine” where 700 out of the 25,000 specimens of our ornithological collection are displayed, including two extinct species: the Passenger pigeon and the Great auk.

The “orange room”, which used to be the curator’s office, is now a room specially thought for children to enjoy.

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On the ground floor, the gallery of Earth and Universe sciences is divided into three themes: palaeontology and prehistory on one side, geology and mineralogy on the other, our meteorite collection at the centre of the room. Look out for the green dots: they will enable you to touch stones with your hands and, most importantly, with your eyes. And don’t miss the presentation of the “Black Beauty”, a Martian meteorite.

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After its opening in 1955, the vivarium has gradually specialised in snakes. Nowadays, they are about twenty non-venomous specimens. As they are part of the same zoological order, known as squamata, you can also see some ocellated lizards. 

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Located on the ground floor, you can access to this space from the Gallery of Earth and Universe sciences. Rich of over 10,000 available-on-consultation books and 25,000 stored references (including very old and precious ones), the scientific library is free and open to anyone, from students and researchers to onlookers. The various resources explore themes in keeping with the Museum’s such as palaeontology, botany, ecology, environment, or history of sciences. 

On the first floor, the multimedia library, which is part of the municipal network, offers more than 7000 references about sciences (including some in other languages than French). There are books, DVDs and even games! Depending on the item, it can be borrowed or consulted on site.

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"Ocean, an unusual dive"

From July 2, 2022 to January 8, 2024

Although it covers most of our planet, the ocean is still largely unknown. The exhibition offers a wonderful and surprising journey to the heart of an original biodiversity, far from the coastline and familiar figures. After a presentation of the constraints of the marine environment and the challenge of exploring it, visitors plunge into another dimension to discover planktonic life, and continue their journey into extreme environments, to meet the singular fauna of the great depths and the icy waters of the Southern Ocean. The rest of the exhibition raises awareness and sheds light on the unsuspected resources of the marine environment. This exhibition is also an invitation to Jules Verne's extraordinary journeys, between science and imagination, reflecting the writer's fascination for the ocean and the animals that inhabit it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can I use the cloakroom?
Each visitor can use the lockers freely and free of charge (using a token or a coin). In case of loss or stealing, the Museum cannot be hold for responsible.

Can I access every room with a pushchair?
The Museum was built in 1875, even if renovations are frequently made; it still not totally fits up the twenty-first century’s standard.
For security reasons, pushchairs are not allowed in the vivarium, the ground floor’s temporary exhibition and the peristyle.
Note that you can access the first floor but the lift is reserved to people who need it for medical reasons and won’t be offered to families with a pushchair. To ease your visit, we encourage you to leave your pushchair in the reception hall, in exchange; we can lend you a baby carrier

Is there some content in English?
Yes, you will find some in the temporary exhibitions as well as in both our permanent rooms (the gallery of Zoology and the gallery of Earth and Universe sciences).

Can I leave the museum and comeback with my ticket later on?
Of course you can, as your ticket is valid for the day. Nonetheless, having a ticket won’t prevent you to wait in the line if necessary.
! No entry after 5:30 pm. !

What are the museum’s opening hours?
The museum is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm, except on Tuesdays on daily basis. During Le Voyage à Nantes, it opens from 10 am to 7 pm, even on Tuesdays.

Which way should I go?
There is no imposed way. Indeed, the Museum is made of two floors and five exhibition areas – the two temporary exhibition rooms, the gallery of Zoology, the gallery of Earth and Universe sciences, and the vivarium – it is up to you to visit them in the order you want.

Is there a lift?
Yes but its access is restricted. It is reserved for people with mobility difficulties. Please enquire the staff about it.

Can I take photos?
Of course you can, but they have to be taken without flash.
Do not hesitate to share them on social networks with the #museumnantes

Can I touch?
Exceptionally, you can touch some stones in the gallery of Earth and Universe sciences when the pictogram is green – if it is red, you are not allowed to.

Are there children activities?
Yes there are as we thought the Museum to be accessible and attractive to children. Discover all the activities for children here

Why do I have to wait before visiting the vivarium?
For security reasons, only 19 visitors can simultaneously be in this room. If any medical condition prevents you from standing still, please let the staff know.

Are there restrooms? Where can I find them?
Outside the Museum you can find toilets near the entrances and exits of the building. Inside, toilets are located in the reception hall. If you have any questions, you can contact the reception team.
Useful tip: In French “Where are the restrooms please?” is translated “Où sont les toilettes s’il vous plaît ?.”

Can I eat inside the Museum?
No food or drinks are allowed in the exhibition rooms. Snacks are tolerated in some areas that the staff would be pleased to indicate you if you ask.

Can I breastfeed my baby?
Of course!  If you need anything like a quiet place, please ask the staff.

Is there a souvenir shop?
The museum does not own a souvenir shop but you can buy catalogues and postcards at the information/reception desk.

Are the exhibited animals real?
Yes, most of our naturalised animals are real specimens – if not, you will see the indication “moulage” [casting] on the labels.
The Museum’s collections expanded along the decades. Nowadays, only a few new specimens are acquired, and the legislation is strictly observed to insure the animal and wilderness protection. Most of the time, they come from zoos or farms where they died of natural causes. These new acquisitions are a way to replace damaged items or to fill a gap in our collections.

Can I leave a review somewhere?
You can leave your opinion on Google Maps, as well as on our social networks (Instagram, Facebook ou Tik Tok).
Finally, you can however send us your feedback by email (sylvie.le-berre@nantesmetropole.fr)
We regularly check feedbacks and suggestions.

Is there an offer to lower my visit’s price?
According to your situation, buying a pass can be profitable.
If you visit Nantes’ museums more than once a year, do not hesitate to take the "Pass musées"
If you only are in Nantes for some days and want to visit several museums, Nantes tourisme (facing the Château des Ducs de Bretagne) sells passes that gives you access to different sites and to public transportation for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Good to know: Nantes’ museums are always free for people under 18 as well as for everyone on the first Sunday of the month (except during Le voyage à Nantes).
Learn more here