Visit to the Natural History Museum

MuseumsOPEN IN JANUARY

Adult €6.00 Free with the Pass!

Take a self-guided tour of the Natural History Museum and enjoy a fabulous journey to the heart of the naturalist and ethnographic collections brought back from all over the world by great travellers, collectors and illustrious donors.

Additional information

Visiting conditions :

. Parents with pushchairs are allowed to use the museum lift.

Whether you're a nature lover, a science enthusiast or a traveller in search of distant horizons, the Museum will surprise you with its richness and diversity. While retaining the magic of a 19th-century museum with its old-fashioned showcases, the museum's museography has been completely revamped to reflect the scientific and cultural challenges of the 21st century: biodiversity, environmental protection and the discovery of world cultures.

Take a 5-level tour of the Museum's various themed rooms: 
The Lafaille cabinet,
The basement with the birth of the coastline,
The zoology gallery,
From the coast to the abyss,
African archaeology,
Oceanic ethnology,
The scientific library.

Note that the Jardin des Plantes is also freely accessible (during opening hours) and free of charge outside Museum visits.

Opening hours

From 15 June to 17 September and all Zone A school holidays: open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 10am to 6pm, Saturdays from 2pm to 6pm.

From 18 September to 14 June, excluding zone A school holidays: open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 10am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 5.30pm, Saturdays from 1.30pm to 5.30pm.

Exceptional closures on 1 May, 14 July, 1 and 11 November, 25 December and 1 January.

  • Motor disability

    For people with reduced mobility, each floor of the museum is accessible by lift.

  • Access by bike

    La Rochelle is on the Vélodyssée cycle routes.

    ADVANTAGE INCLUDED in your La Rochelle Océan Pass: get a 30% discount on bike hire.
    Present your pass at our partner Cycling Tour in La Rochelle and benefit from your discount (your pass must be activated and valid).

  • Access by bus

    Recommended bus stops : 
    Orbigny - Lines illico 1; illico 2; illico 3; 7
    Place de Verdun - All lines

    ADVANTAGE INCLUDED in your La Rochelle Océan Pass: unlimited access to the Yélo bus network to get around La Rochelle. 
    In the application, press the ‘Transports en commun Yélo’ button: a camera opens and you can flash the QR stuck on the bus and located next to the driver, simply by passing your phone in front of it. Validation is compulsory at every stop on your journey.

    Details of routes, timetables and changes to Yélo bus services are available at www.yelo-larochelle.fr

  • Access by car

    Choose to park in the free Park & Ride sites at the city gates, then finish your journey by bus (free with the La Rochelle Océan Pass):

    Beaulieu: 130 spaces (including 5 PRM)
    Les Greffières: 300 spaces (including 8 PRM)
    Vieljeux: 60 spaces (including 2 PRM)
    Saint-Rogatien: 20 spaces (including 1 PRM)
    Simone Veil: 130 spaces (including 4 PRM)

Natural History Museum

Immerse yourself in the naturalist and ethnographic collections brought back from all over the world by great travellers, collectors and illustrious donors. And continue your visit in the Jardin des Plantes, which adjoins the Museum.