Njål A.
Google
The museum of paleontology in Jardin du Plantes boasts a rich a collection of skeletons and fossils for the curious visitor.
The first level is filled with extant animals; mostly mammals, including whales, but also some marine species.
On the second level you find skeletons of dinosaurs and other extinct animals. This was my favourite part of the museum, partly because of the spaciousness of this area, allowing you to study these mighty giants without interference from too many elements around them.
On the top level there is a collection of fossils of plants, and ammonites and other marine animals.
It was an intriguing museum to visit and absolutely worth it for people with interest in zoology and paleontology. I found the skeletons on the first level to be quite cramped, with so little space in between them that it disturbed the viewing experience of the elements on display—there was no breathing space. Certain places, especially in the whale section, it was hard to get a look at all the skeletons properly since some were hidden behind each other; in addition it was sometimes unclear which sign belonged to which animal. It's understandable that spacial there are spacial constraints, but it felt like too much had been squeezed into too small of a space. The dinosaur skeletons on the second level were afforded much more generous space.
Another thing I thought was a shame was that all the signs for the animal names were written exclusively in French. This made the information about the animals less accessible to non-French speakers. One of the corners next to the whales even had a section with old handwritten notes for the animal names. The handwriting itself was elegant and gracious, but it ultimately further decreased the readability of the small signs.
Despite certain downsides to the museum, I still think it was worth the visit. The interior was clean and tidy, and the staff were generally friendly.
