Discover all the iconic species on display at the Besançon Citadel Museum.
An Unconventional Museum
Guardian of Biodiversity
Unexpected in this extraordinary setting, the Besançon Museum occupies a prominent spot within the Citadel.
From its natural history collections to the many living species on display, here’s an overview of this unique institution dedicated to understanding animal and plant biodiversity, as well as its evolution.
Understanding Biodiversity
Research and knowledge dissemination, collection conservation, promotion of scientific and natural heritage, conservation of species and their habitats, education, research, animal welfare… the missions of the Besançon Museum are, to say the least, numerous and diverse! And for good reason: it is organized around two complementary areas that will help you better understand biodiversity, its richness, and its fragility:
- its natural history collections —comprising over a million objects, including an exceptional collection of taxidermy specimens—make it a valuable record and a key to understanding the evolution of life. It is also recognized as a “Musée de France” for the significance of its scientific and natural heritage,
- its zoological park, renowned for its involvement in conservation projects for local species such as crayfish, or international species such as lemurs, carried out in partnership with wildlife conservation professionals and scientists. Its zootechnical expertise in the breeding and reproduction of rare and endangered species is internationally recognized.
My visit in six steps
1
The Naturalium
Start your visit with the Naturaliumto discover the richness of both local and international biodiversity, its evolution, the threats facing habitats and species, and the actions being taken to preserve them.
2
The Aquarium
Come immerse yourself in the unexpected world of freshwater with the Aquarium. Dive into the Doubs River to discover its rich ecosystem, starting with its complex flora and fauna, ranging from mollusks to catfish. Gain a new perspective on freshwater habitats, their biodiversity, and the challenges of their conservation.
3
The Insectarium
Continue your tour at the Insectarium, where more than 60 species from all over the world await you: insects (cockroaches, grasshoppers, stick insects, mantises, and even bees), arachnids (scorpions, tarantulas, etc.), amphibians (such as poison dart frogs and mantellas), and many others.
4
The Noctarium
The tour continues with the Noctarium, a place unique in Europe where you can learn more about the small animals of our region. Thanks to a reversal of the day-night cycle, you can observe the nocturnal behavior of dozens of small local mammals and amphibians in broad daylight.
5
The Zoo
Then travel to every continent with the Zooto observe rare species of primates, birds, and mammals, some of which are listed on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List and threatened with extinction.
6
The Little Farm
Your visit ends with the Little Farm, where you can stroll peacefully among the dwarf goats, guinea pigs, rabbits, guinea fowl, and chickens.
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The Museum's Archaeology Collection
The archaeology collection reflects the history of the Museum.
Rediscovered very recently thanks to a new inventory, the archaeological collection has proven to be of significant scientific and heritage value. Comprising approximately 1,200 artifacts, it was assembled primarily inthe 20th century through regional excavations, as well as through chance discoveries by amateurs, scientists, and professors at the Faculty of Sciences in Besançon. Acquired permanently by the municipality in 2020, this collection is part of the Museum’s holdings, just like the natural science collections.
A comprehensive inventory was conducted, allowing each object or artifact to be examined, digitized, and photographed, alongside an update of the bibliography. Condition reports also provided an assessment of the storage conditions in the repositories. This study resulted in a better understanding of the collection, revealing a clear representation of the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age periods, primarily through flint tools and pottery.
Among this archaeological material, remains related toarchaeozoology (the study of animal remains in relation to past societies) andarchaeoanthropology (the study of human remains in an archaeological context) have been rediscovered.
In archaeozoology, the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) is represented by numerous bones in the Museum’s collections. Most of the remains were found in local caves, the bears’ preferred hibernation sites. During this critical period, the animal could perish there if food supplies ran out. During its time in the cave, it may have encountered Neanderthals or Homo sapiens, who, on rare occasions, hunted it.
In archaeological anthropology, several burial sites have been preserved. The burials date mainly from the early Bronze Age, as confirmed by the protohistoric pottery found in the caves. Contrary to popular belief, humans did not live in caves, but they might stay there temporarily to shelter from the rain and cold, or to bury their dead.
These examples from the Museum’s collection illustrate both the diversity of materials and the coherence of the collection as a whole, particularly in certain thematic areas, such as the human and animal occupation of local caves from the Paleolithic through the Bronze Age.
Animal enclosures
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L’archéoanthropologie au Muséum
La redécouverte d’une collection s’accompagne bien souvent de surprises inattendues. C’est ainsi qu’ont été mis au jour plus de 300 vestiges bio-anthropologiques, autrement dit des ossements humains provenant de sépultures archéologiques.
Cette discipline, à mi-chemin entre la médecine légale et l’archéologie, est apparue sous le nom d’archéoanthropologie à la fin des années 1980. Pour la première fois, les ossements humains sont étudiés pour eux-mêmes et l’attention n’est plus seulement centrée sur les jolis objets funéraires ou l’architecture de la tombe. A partir de ces ossements, l’archéoanthropologue est en mesure de retracer le statut social de l’individu, sa culture matérielle et ses croyances spirituelles, en bref, toute l’image d’une société disparue, seulement accessible par les vestiges qu’elle a laissés derrière elle.
Au muséum, le squelette le plus complet conservé en réserves est celui d’une femme, découverte dans la grotte de Saint-Romain dans le Jura. Elle a été retrouvée inhumée, en position allongée (ou décubitus dorsal), accompagnée de parure en os. Cette sépulture est un rare témoin des rites funéraires typiques des débuts de l’âge du Bronze dans nos régions, soit 2000 ans avant notre ère.
Ce type de collection dite « sensible » n’a pas vocation à être exposée au muséum car elle est trop fragile et fragmentaire. Les ossements sont inventoriés et rangés dans des boîtes de conservation prévues à cet effet afin de respecter au mieux les principes de respect, de dignité et de décence propres à tout individu. Il s’agit également de préserver au mieux ce matériel génétique pour de futures études, notamment pour donner une datation plus précise grâce au Carbone 14.
The collections of the Natural History Museum
The Besançon Museum ranks among the top ten national museums in terms of the significance of its collections—both on display and in storage—which span numerous disciplines within the life and earth sciences, including zoology, osteology, paleontology, geology, and botany…
