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All France Lille Lille Natural History Museum

Lille Natural History Museum

An astounding collection of taxidermy, fossils, skeletons, and even a few strange live beasts.

Lille, France

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Mictlān Tēcutli
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View of the museum ground floor with mammoth skeleton in the foreground.   Vassil/public domain
Gorilla skeleton and a rather solemn taxidermy of an Eastern lowland gorilla (holding a rhinoceros beetle).   Vcby/cc by-sa 4.0
Close up of a simultaneously amusing and terrifying taxidermy Proboscis monkey.   Vcby/cc by-sa 4.0
Panoramic view of the interior of the museum.   Cbyd/cc by-sa 4.0
muséum d’histoire naturelle - chevreuils   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
muséum d’histoire naturelle - iguanodon   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle - squelette de gibbon   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle - veau à 2 têtes   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle - dodo   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Taxidermy display of a female European bison (Wisent) and calf.   Vcby/cc by-sa 4.0
A (live) luecistic axolotl in one of the museum’s terrariums of live creatures.   Vassil/public domain
Another live inhabitant of the museum , an endangered Mexican pink tarantula   Strobilomyces/cc by-sa 3.0
The skeleton of an echidna, an Australian marsupial and one of only two extant egg-laying mammals.   Vcby/cc by-sa 4.0
A (live) Mexican kingsnake on display at the museum.   Altsmatou/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Taxidermy of an extinct gecko species, Delcourt’s gecko.   Lamiot/cc by-sa 4.0
An asiatic lion taxidermy.   HokutoSuisse
A pair of taxidermy Eurasian grey wolves.   Lamiot/cc by-sa 4.0
A specimen of a prehistoric insect trapped in amber.   Lamiot/cc by-sa 4.0
A live orchid mantis at the museum   Lamiot
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle - iguanodon   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
You always being watched here....   martinplanasker / Atlas Obscura User
Lille - Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle - guépard et zèbre   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
muséum d’histoire naturelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
muséum d’histoire naturelle - nasique   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
muséum d’histoire naturelle - morphos   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The Natural History Museum of Lille is one of the oldest in France, first opened in 1822 to expand on a local amateur collection of zoological specimens. In the 150 years since its creation, the museum has assembled an impressive assortment of specimens from all over the world, including some of the most remote regions of the globe.

The museum displays a sizeable collection of fossilized ammonites, prehistoric insects trapped in amber, and colorful minerals like emeralds, fluorite, and pyromorphite. There are also several interesting taxidermy exhibits dotted around the halls. They showcase a mummified menagerie of diverse and extraordinary species, from African lowland gorillas to the Australian duck-billed platypus. Huge whale skeletons hang suspended from the ceilings while those of long-extinct mammoths stand below. 

But it's not just dead desiccated critters that can be found in the halls of this intriguing institution; a curious collection of live creatures are also kept here. Some of the animals on display include extraordinary species such as the axolotl salamander, the kingsnake, and a number of tarantulas. There is also an insectarium that exhibits entomological wonders like the orchid mantis, giant rhinoceros beetles, giant centipedes, and giant leaf insects.  

Related Tags

Natural History Museums Natural History Fossils Taxidermy Animals Museums And Collections Insects Science

Know Before You Go

The Natural History Museum of Lille (Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille) is open Wednesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays). The entrance fee is 3 euro.

Community Contributors

Added By

Monsieur Mictlan

Edited By

philoursmars, martinplanasker

  • philoursmars
  • martinplanasker

Published

May 9, 2019

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Lille Natural History Museum
19 Rue de Bruxelles
Lille
France
50.626598, 3.066617
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