Garden of Plants

Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Jardin des Plantes

The history of the Jardin des Plantes. Just push the door of the Magny Hotel, built at the end of the 16th century, and you will travel back in time. The major stages in the 370-year history of the Roy Garden, now the Jardin des Plantes, are told here. Smelted in 1631, the bell of the chapel of the royal garden of medicinal plants, the oldest remaining witness of its existence, welcomes the public at the entrance. Further on, the reproduction of an engraving from 1636 gives an idea of the layout of the site at that time, then in the next room, the bust and the portrait of Buffon illustrate the important role played by the famous naturalist with regard to the institution.

Then, the construction of various buildings, galleries, greenhouses and the menagerie are evoked. The extraordinary resources – archives, old books, vellum paper – from the library of the Museum. To avoid damage by overexposure, these treasures are regularly changed in the course of temporary themed exhibitions.