All geology museums to visit in France

Discover the Earth's secrets at 34 geology museums in France. These museums feature exhibits on rocks, minerals, fossils, and the geological processes that shape our planet.

Are you fascinated by the Earth's natural history? These are the geology museums you should visit in France:

  1. Le Glaciorium1

    Le Glaciorium

     Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
    Le Glaciorium is a museum located in the scenic Montenvers, within the commune of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in France. This museum offers a unique opportunity to learn about glaciology and the Mer de Glace in particular. It is situated at an altitude of 1,909 meters, providing visitors with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
  2. Natural History Museum of Nantes2

    Natural History Museum of Nantes

     Nantes
    The Natural History Museum of Nantes is a renowned institution located in the city of Nantes, France. It is a place where visitors can explore the wonders of natural history and learn about the diverse species and ecosystems that make up our world.
  3. Natural History Museum3

    Natural History Museum

     Le Havre
    The Natural History Museum of Le Havre is a significant cultural institution located in the city of Le Havre, in Seine-Maritime, Normandy. This French natural history museum offers a rich collection of exhibits and is a key destination for those interested in natural history.
  4. Natural History Museum4

    Natural History Museum

     Grenoble
    The Natural History Museum of Grenoble, founded in 1851, is a municipal museum located in Grenoble, France. It is a significant institution that has been presenting a rich natural heritage to the public since the opening of its building in 1855.
  5. Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de La Rochelle5

    Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de La Rochelle

     La Rochelle
    The Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de La Rochelle is a renowned natural history museum situated in the city of La Rochelle, in the Charente-Maritime region of France. It offers a rich collection of natural history and ethnography exhibits, making it a significant destination for those interested in these fields.
  6. Musée des Confluences6

    Musée des Confluences

     Lyon
    Musée des Confluences is a science centre and anthropology museum in Lyon. It hold a collection of natural science, anthropology, and Earth Sciences and exhibits related to arts and crafts. The museum features 4 main exhibitions called 'Origins - Stories of the World', 'Species - the Web of life', '
  7. Natural History Museum7

    Natural History Museum

     Rouen
    The Natural History Museum of Rouen is located in a building that was once the convent of Santa Maria, constructed in the 17th century. This historical building adds to the museum's charm and provides a unique backdrop for the exhibits. Visitors can appreciate the architecture and history of the building while exploring the museum's collections.
  8. Museum Requien8

    Museum Requien

     Avignon
    The Requien Museum, located in Avignon, Vaucluse, is a natural history museum. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the natural history of the region, making it an interesting destination for those interested in botany, paleontology, and malacology.
  9. Muséum de Toulouse9

    Muséum de Toulouse

     Toulouse
    The Muséum de Toulouse is a museum of natural history in Toulouse that holds a collection of over 2.5 million pieces that the museum partly displays in its 3,000 square metres of exhibition space. The permanent exhibition of Muséum de Toulouse is categorised in five different themes, namely: the nat
  10. Grande Galerie de l'Evolution10

    Grande Galerie de l'Evolution

     Paris
    The Grande Galerie de l'Évolution (Great Gallery of Evolution) is part of the French Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, located in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. This museum focuses on the evolution of the animal and plant world. The first floor focuses on marine animal species. Land life is t
  11. Palais de la découverte11

    Palais de la découverte

     Paris
    The Palais de la découverte is a science museum in Paris that is housed in the west wing of the 19th-century Grand Palais. The museum was founded in the run-up to the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne, which took place in Paris in 1937. There are permanent exhibits
  12. Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve12

    Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve

     Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
    This cottage is an entrance gate to the Aiguilles Rouges Reserve. Familiarize yourself with the local flora, fauna and activities here.
  13. The Mountain Observatory13

    The Mountain Observatory

     Orlu
    The Mountain Observatory in Orlu is a unique facility that offers visitors the opportunity to discover the ecology of the mountain environment. It is conveniently located at the gates of the Orlu national reserve in the Ariège Pyrenees, making it an ideal starting point for exploring the natural beauty of the region.
  14. Phosphatières du cloup d'Aural14

    Phosphatières du cloup d'Aural

     Bach
    The Phosphatière du Cloup d'Aural is a historical site located in the municipality of Bach, in the Lot department. This site was once an open-air phosphate mine. It offers a unique glimpse into the mining history of the region and the importance of phosphate in agriculture and paleontology.
  15. Natural History Museum15

    Natural History Museum

     Dijon
    The Natural History Museum of Dijon is situated in the Arquebuse Park in Dijon. This location provides a serene and natural environment that complements the museum's focus on natural history. It's an ideal place for tourists who are interested in exploring the natural world and its history.
  16. Musée Mémoires d'Alpinismes16

    Musée Mémoires d'Alpinismes

     Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans
    Learn more about the history and present of alpinism in this museum. Also, you can explore the local geology through interactive models.
  17. Museum of the Alta Rocca17

    Museum of the Alta Rocca

     Levie
    In this modern museum you can discover both geological and archaeological history of Corsica. Eye-catching collection with rare exhibits.
  18. Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy18

    Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy

     Paris
    The Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy in Paris, in the Jardin des plantes, is part of the French National Museum of Natural History. The collections on display here came mostly from the great expeditions of the traveler-naturalists of the 18th and 19th centuries and from the Ménagerie,
  19. Temple of Nature19

    Temple of Nature

     Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
    The Temple of Nature is a historical building situated at Montenvers, within the Mont-Blanc massif, above the town of Chamonix, in the Haute-Savoie region of France. This location offers panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and the Mer de Glace, making it a significant point of interest for tourists visiting the area.
  20. Natural History Museum20

    Natural History Museum

     Perpignan
    The Natural History Museum of Perpignan is housed in a unique location, a mansion known as Hôtel Çagarriga. This historic building is located in the city of Perpignan, nestled in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of France. The museum's location adds a layer of historical charm to the experience of exploring the natural history exhibits.
  21. Mont Grand Matoury Nature Reserve21

    Mont Grand Matoury Nature Reserve

     Matoury
    The Mont Grand Matoury National Nature Reserve, established in 2006, is a significant natural area in French Guiana. It spans over 2,123 hectares, primarily protecting a vast expanse of tropical rainforest. This reserve is a testament to the country's commitment to preserving its unique and diverse ecosystems.
  22. Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology22

    Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology

     Paris
    The Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology in paris is part of the French National Museum of Natural History, in the Jardin des plantes. The museum/gallery holds and exhibits a collection of old and important crystals, gemstones and minerals. The permanent exhibition of the Gallery of Mineralogy and Geol
  23. Musée de Minéralogie23

    Musée de Minéralogie

     Paris
    The Musée de Minéralogie (The Mineralogy Museum in Paris) is a museum of mineralogy in Paris that is stated to be one of the ten largest mineral collections in the world. The museum holds and exhibits a collection of around 100,000 samples including 80,000 minerals, 15,000 rocks, 4,000 ores, 400 met
  24. Musee d'Histoire Naturelle24

    Musee d'Histoire Naturelle

     Marseille
    The Muséum d’histoire naturel de Marseille (the Natural History Museum of Marseille), is a natural history museum in Marseille that is housed in the Palais Longchamp. It holds a colleciton of around 83,000 zoological specimens, 200,000 botanical specimens, 81,000 fossils, and 8,000 mineral specimens
  25. Natural History and Ethnography Museum25

    Natural History and Ethnography Museum

     Colmar
    The Musée d’Histoire Naturelle et d’Ethnographie is a museum dedicated to natural history and ethnography, located in the French city of Colmar. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the natural world and diverse cultures through its extensive collections.
  26. Alpilles Museum26

    Alpilles Museum

     Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
    The Alpilles Museum is a cultural institution located in the charming town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France. This museum offers visitors a chance to delve into the rich history and culture of the region.
  27. Musée du Plâtre27

    Musée du Plâtre

     Cormeilles-en-Parisis
    The Plaster Museum, located in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, serves as a hub for information and resources on plaster and construction materials. It boasts a diverse collection, a library, an archive fund, and an iconography. These resources cover a wide range of themes including geology around gypsum, the history of plaster companies and territories, plaster crafts and arts, molding and sculpture, and the workshop fund of the sculptor Boulogne.
  28. Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle28

    Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle

     Nice
    The Natural History Museum of Nice (Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Nice) also known as the Barla Museum, is the oldest municipal museum in Nice. The museum contains heritage of more than one million specimens largely from the Mediterranean but also from South America, Africa and the islands of the I
  29. 29

    Musée de la Mine

     Briançon
    Explore various rocks and fossils that can be found in the nature around. This geologic museum presents Briançon's mines, artefacts and more.
  30. 30

    Pterosaur Beach

     Crayssac
    Pterosaur Beach, located in the commune of Crayssac in the department of Lot, is a unique palaeoichnologic site. It is known for bearing tracks made by dinosaurs and pterosaurs, making it a significant location for those interested in paleontology and prehistoric life.
  31. 31

    Musée des Minéraux de l'Université

     Paris
    The Musée des Minéraux de l'Université in Paris holds and exhibits the university's mineral collection that contains approximately 16,500 specimens. Of the around 4,200 known mineral species, the collection includes around 1,500. The 24 showcases in the museum are arranged according to the family an
  32. 32

    Epicentre Lourdes

     Lourdes
    This centre is an educational place with simulators allowing you to explore climate-related hazards and earthquakes.
  33. 33

    Maison de Village d'Argentière

     Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
    Explore the fascinating nature of the Alps in this small yet intriguing museum. You can also join walks they organize.
  34. 34

    Ua Huka

     Ua Huka
    For tourists planning to visit Ua Huka, the island is conveniently accessible by air. The island has its own airport, Ua Huka Airport, which facilitates easy travel to and from the island.