Galerie de paléontologie et d’anatomie comparée

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Façade principale de la Galerie.

La galerie de paléontologie et d’anatomie comparée is a part of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. it is found in the Jardin des Plantes of Paris near the Gare d'Austerlitz.

The gallery was inaugurated in 1898 as part of l' Expositions universelles de Paris in 1900 and was the creation of professors Albert Gaudry (professor of paleontology) et George Pouchet (professor of comparative anatomy) who wished to preserve and present to the public collections of great historic and scientific importance. The collections presented come from the great expeditions of the traveller-naturalists of the 18th and 19th centuries as well as from the ménagerie du Jardin des plantes. The Gallery of paleontology presents a famous collection of fossils of vertebrates (in particular of dinosaurs and extinct animals) and of invertebrates. The Gallery of Comparative Anatomy, presents nearly a thousand skeletons and gives an account account of their organization and their classification. The remarkable building, designed by the architect Frederic Dutert is on two floors, its surface area is approximately 2500 sq m. The largest gallery, made of stone and of metal is almost 80 m long, the external frontages are decorated with sculptures inspired by naturalists and large picture windows let the light through.