Grande Galerie de l'Évolution (Great Hall of Evolution)

Grande Galerie de l'Évolution (Great Hall of Evolution) Review

With a parade of taxidermied animals ranging from the tiniest dung beetle to the tallest giraffe, this four-story natural history museum in the Jardin des Plantes is an excellent break for museum-weary kids. The flagship of the three natural-history museums in the Jardin des Plantes, the restored 1889 building has a ceiling that changes color to suggest storms, twilight, or the hot savanna sun. Don't miss the gigantic skeleton of a blue whale, and the stuffed royal rhino—he came from the menagerie at Versailles, where he was a pet of Louis XV. Kids 6 to 12 years old will enjoy La Galerie d'Enfants (Children's Gallery), which opened in 2010 and has interactive exhibits on the natural world, in French and English. A lab stocked with microscopes often offers free workshops, and most of the staff speaks some English. Hang on to your ticket; it'll get you a discount at the other museums within the Jardin des Plantes.