Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle

The Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN) is France’s national museum of natural history, dedicated to the study, preservation and dissemination of knowledge about the natural world. Its core activities include maintaining and expanding vast scientific collections, conducting fundamental and applied research in fields such as zoology, botany, paleontology, mineralogy and anthropology, and offering educational programmes for students, teachers and the general public. The institution also designs and hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions that showcase specimens and scientific findings to visitors across its multiple sites in Paris. Through its laboratories and fieldwork, MNHN contributes to global efforts in biodiversity assessment, conservation planning and climate‑change research. As a public establishment, it operates under the authority of the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

Located in Paris, the MNHN is one of the largest natural history museums in Europe, with a footprint that spans several historic venues including the Jardin des Plantes, the Musée de l’Homme and the Zoo de Vincennes. Its collections comprise tens of millions of specimens that support hundreds of researchers from French and international institutions who rely on the museum’s data for taxonomic, ecological and evolutionary studies. The museum’s distinguishing attributes lie in its dual role as both a research organisation and a public cultural venue, giving it a unique position to bridge scientific expertise with outreach and education. Structurally, the MNHN is a public scientific, cultural and professional establishment (EPSCP) owned by the French state, reporting directly to the ministry responsible for research and higher education. In July 2025, the museum suffered a cyberattack that disrupted access to its information technology systems and the databases that many researchers depend on, temporarily hindering collaborative projects and data‑driven studies across French scientific institutions.