Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

The Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature is a private museum about the relationship between people and animals, at 62 rue des Archives in the Marais, in Paris's 3rd arrondissement. Old master paintings, historic weapons, taxidermy and contemporary art share rooms arranged like a collector's house. It suits visitors who like unusual, intimate museums and pairs well with the Musée Picasso nearby.

The industrialist François Sommer (1904 to 1973) and his wife Jacqueline founded it in 1964, together with the foundation that still runs it. It opened in 1967 in the Hôtel de Guénégaud, a mansion built between 1651 and 1655 to designs by François Mansart. Since 2002 it has also used the neighbouring Hôtel de Mongelas of 1703, and the whole museum was renovated in 2007.

Rooms themed by animal, from trophies to old weapons

Each room is themed around an animal or an idea, with cabinets of curiosities and a trophy room, and objects from different centuries sit side by side. Hunting is the starting point, but the subject is wider. Weapons from the 16th to the 19th centuries include guns that belonged to Louis XIII, Marie-Thérèse of Austria, Napoleon I and Napoleon III. Taxidermied animals from several continents include a polar bear and a lion.

Paintings by Rubens, Cranach the Elder, Snyders, Chardin, Desportes and Oudry hang near contemporary works by Jan Fabre, Jean-Michel Othoniel and Françoise Pétrovitch. One room has Fabre's ceiling covered in owl feathers. Nicolas Darrot's Le Souillot is a talking albino boar's head, a favourite with children. Contemporary art exhibitions run through the year. From 15 October 2026 to 21 February 2027 the museum shows Ce qui reste by the artist Lionel Sabatté, with family visits and workshops until 20 February 2027. The Fondation François Sommer, which runs the museum, is a recognised public-interest foundation.

Some displays include hunting trophies and weapons, so parents may want to preview the themes with younger children.