© Requien Museum of natural history, Avignon
Requien Museum of natural history, Avignon
Museum and library of the natural world
This museum owes its growth to the naturalist Esprit Requien (1758-1851), who was the most famous of Avignon scientists of his time. From an old middle class family, he devoted himself early to botany. By age 18, he is active in the Botanical Garden of the city of Avignon and is a herbarium that quickly acquired great importance.
Requien was interested in almost all of the world of science, including paleontology and malacologie branches for which it is also rich collections. He was in contact with leading scientists of his time and 75 new species were dedicated to him.
The collection contains around 400,000 samples of botany, 416,150 of geology, 1,077 vertebrates and 45,300 invertebrates.
As well as its permanent collection the museum also houses a number of temporary exhibitions throughout the year.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 - 13:00 and 14:00 - 18:00 except on 1st January, 1st May & 25th December.
Free entry.
Worth knowing
In 1840, Esprit Requien bequeathed his important Natural Sciences Library
and its collections to the Calvet Foundation which is when the museum was created.
