The Geneva Natural History Museum showcases the diversity of life and the mineral world through life-size dioramas and renowned scientific collections. Across four levels, you’ll discover wildlife from around the globe, minerals, fossils and live animals.
Natural science museums
Main highlights
- Life-size dioramas recreating the African savannah, the Swiss Alps, the Arctic and the tropics
- Mineralogy collection featuring crystals, gemstones, meteorites and fluorescent minerals
- Tropical vivarium where you can observe live snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and insects
Overview
Founded in 1820, the Geneva Natural History Museum left its city-centre premises in 1966 for a modern building on Route de Malagnou. It holds more than 15 million specimens and objects, one of the largest natural history collections in Switzerland.
The exhibition spaces span four levels and present the living and mineral worlds in an educational way. The museum is also a research centre : its teams study biodiversity, particularly in taxonomy, ecology and evolution.
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What to see and do
The dioramas are the main attraction. These life-size displays depict the wildlife of the African savannah, animals of the Swiss mountains, Arctic life and tropical forests, with recreated vegetation, terrain and lighting.
The mineralogy section displays crystals, gemstones and meteorites. One room presents fluorescent minerals under ultraviolet light. The palaeontology department traces the evolution of life on Earth with fossils, dinosaur skeletons, prehistoric mammals and fossilised plants from the region.
The tropical vivarium houses live animals in terrariums : snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and exotic insects. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions that bring out specimens usually kept in storage.
Practical information
Getting there : Eaux-Vives district, tram 12 to the Muséum stop or buses 1, 8 and 25. A paid car park is nearby.
Visit duration : allow 2 to 3 hours for the permanent collections.
Visitors : educational workshops for families and school groups, themed guided tours by reservation.
On site : audio guides in several languages, a science bookshop with educational games, a shop and a café.
Visiting tips
Start with the ground-floor dioramas, which offer a good introduction to biodiversity and the links between species and their habitats. If you’re visiting with children, ask at the reception desk about feeding times at the vivarium.
This place is part of the selection Geneva, between lakes, mountains and cosmopolitanism.
Nearby
- The Ariana Museum, the Swiss Museum of Ceramics and Glass, occupies a 19th-century building in Ariana Park.
- The Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, known as the Russian Church, is a neo-Russian Orthodox cathedral built between 1863 and 1866.
- The Banc de la Treille, a long wooden bench overlooking the Parc des Bastions, offers views of the city and the mountains.
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