Musée zoologique de Strasbourg

The Musée zoologique de Strasbourg is at 29 Boulevard de la Victoire, in the University Quarter of Strasbourg, in the Alsace area of France's Grand Est region. It was founded in 1804 and is one of the oldest natural history museums in France, with a collection of more than 10,000 specimens. The exhibits include mounted mammals and birds, skeletons, fossils, shells and extensive insect collections, many arranged in the traditional style of 19th-century natural history cabinets. Visitors walk through galleries of large mammals, from big cats to primates and polar species, followed by cases of birds with their varied plumage, marine life and reptiles. Rare and extinct species form part of the collection, which also reflects the history of science in Alsace. The displays are old-fashioned in the best sense, with dense cases and labelled specimens, and are popular with families because children can see animals at close range. A visit takes about an hour. Entry is free, and the museum is open Wednesday to Sunday afternoons, about 2:00PM-6:00PM, so visitors should plan their day around these limited hours and confirm at musees.strasbourg.eu or by phone on +33 3 68 85 04 85. It is quietest on weekday afternoons and busiest on Sunday afternoons and during school holidays. Tram C to Observatoire is about three minutes away on foot, and the museum can be combined with the nearby Jardin botanique and the University Palace. Photography is generally permitted without flash, though glass cases cause reflections, so visitors may need to angle the camera. The museum is a good rainy day choice, and its free entry makes it a flexible stop for a short visit between other attractions.