MUZOO brings together a free-entry zoo, a natural history museum and a vivarium on the Bois du Petit-Château site in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Here you can observe regional and European wildlife and learn about the challenges facing biodiversity.
Zoos & animal parks
Main highlights
- Free-entry zoo with bears, lynx, otters, ibex and birds across 35,000 m² of wooded grounds
- “Plan B” exhibition, an interactive 600 m² display on biodiversity and the threats it faces
- Five-pavilion vivarium with reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates from five continents
Overview
MUZOO brings together three institutions on the Bois du Petit-Château site, created in the late 19th century : a zoo, a natural history museum and a vivarium. The Natural History Museum, founded in 1880, occupies the renovated Ancien-Stand building.
Run by the City of La Chaux-de-Fonds, the institution’s mission is environmental education and raising awareness of biodiversity. The vivarium has been displaying animals since the late 1980s. Since 1995, the museum has also championed “dahutology”, a nod to the mythical creature of the Jura.
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What to see and do
The zoo showcases animals from the region and from across Europe in spacious enclosures : bears, lynx, otters, deer, ibex and many birds. Children can enter the goat enclosure to pet the animals. A paddling pool, a playground and picnic spots round out the park.
At the museum, the permanent exhibition “Plan B” explores biodiversity and the threats it faces through interactive displays, with themes such as “What is biodiversity ?” and “The big dive”. A mezzanine offers a bird’s-eye view of the installations. A 130 m² gallery hosts temporary exhibitions.
The vivarium recreates the habitats of reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates across five connected pavilions. The site is also home to a care centre for injured wild animals from the region, which are later released back into the wild.
Practical information
Getting there : a 10-minute walk from the town centre, with a bus stop nearby and parking along Rue Alexis-Marie-Piaget.
Visit duration : half a day to combine the zoo, museum and vivarium.
Ideal for : families and children, with play areas and the chance to meet the goats.
On site : a cafeteria with a terrace overlooking the enclosures, and picnic areas. The vivarium is accessible with a museum ticket.
Visitor tips
Start with the park to let the children burn off some energy, then continue to the museum and vivarium. On the forecourt, the “Replat du dahu” features a statue by the artist collective Plonk & Replonk.
Also look out for the park’s eco-friendly features : nest boxes for swifts and bats, insect hotels, solar panels and rainwater harvesting.
Nearby attractions
- The Musée des beaux-arts de La Chaux-de-Fonds brings together modern, contemporary and Swiss art, and showcases the Style sapin.
- The MIH International Museum of Horology traces the history of timekeeping, from the sundial to the atomic clock.
- The Col de la Vue des Alpes, on a Jura ridge, offers views across the Alps and plenty of walks.
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