MUSEE NATIONAL D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE
Created under the reign of Louis XIII and opened in 1635, the Jardin des Plantes presents its plant collections over 26 hectares: historical trees, perspectives à la française, rose garden, tropical and Mexican greenhouses, maze, botanical school and Alpine garden. Free access apart from tropical greenhouses.
Practical Information
| Place | Paris |
| Access | Gare d'Austerlitz |
| Address | 57, rue Cuvier, 75005 |
| City | Paris (France) |
| Phone | 01 40 79 56 01
01 40 79 30 00
01 40 79 39 30 |
| | |
| Full rate | 5
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| Reduced rate | 5
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Temporary Exhibitions
 Opening : From the 2007-10-25
to the 2008-03-10
Everything you’ve always wanted to know about pearls but didn’t know
who to ask: that’s the theme of this exhibition at the Muséum national
d’Histoire Naturelle. “Pearls: a Natural History” is being organised
for the first time in Europe after touring New York, Tokyo, Sydney and Abu Dhabi.
Paris invites you to discover a spectacular collection of pearls...
We’ve all dreamed of wearing or being given a beautiful piece of jewellery,
or giving our loved one the timeless gift of jewellery and watching the sparkle
in their eyes.
Pearls have enchanted humans from time immemorial and inspired envy and adoration.
Unrivalled as symbols of divinity, royalty, beauty and luxury, pearls have always
fascinated us, from ancient times to our day. The ancient Romans saw pearls
as the ‘frozen tears of the gods’, while the ancient Greeks thought
pearls originated from lightning striking the sea. And yet pearls are the result
of an absolutely ordinary natural process: they are created when grit invades
an oyster’s shell.
The exhibition at the Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle provides
a comprehensive overview of the creation, life cycle and extraordinary destiny
of pearls, ranging from scientific aspects such as the therapeutic qualities
of mother-of-pearl to 300 stunning pieces of jewellery and works of art including
rare pieces by designers such as Chaumet, Cartier and Chanel. Don’t miss
this superb exhibition: with a scope covering everything from natural history
to luxury, it is likely to appeal equally to biodiversity enthusiasts and fashion
fans. |
View previous exhibitions
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