Paris Museum of Natural History & Comparative
Anatomy and Paleontology
Anthony Galván III 12/24/2012
The Natural History Museum of Paris
and the Gallery of Comparative Anatomy and Paleontology are a study in contrasts
in their collections.
The Natural History Museum of Paris has that old 18th century
look from the outside. The grounds are manicured and quite symetrical in its
landscaping. However, once you enter the musuem you experience a very modern
approach to displays and exhibitions. Many natural history museums today are
struggling
to attract more visitors, especially younger audiences to learn from their
collections. This museum has a refreshing "museum without glass cases" approach
which allows the visitor to actually walk around an exhibit or specimen.
The Gallery of Comparative Anatomy and Paleontology also has
that "turn of the 18th Century" look, but for this collection it works quite
well. Often referred to as the Bone Place with its Bone Gallery, here you
will find skeletons from almost every living creature on the planet, including
some that are no longer with us.
Since I am a "bone guy" I found this place to be
quite interesting. I would have loved to have spent several days here drawing
the various skulls
and skeletons found in the collection. One item we did find of interest was
a mdoel of "Lucy," the Australopithecus afarensis hominid
discovered by Donald Johanson and Tom Gray in 1974 in Tanzania's Olduvai Gorge.
The discovers named their find after the Beatle's song, Lucy in the Sky with
Diamonds because someone was playing that song when they made their find. Lucy's
remains were dated to be 3.22 to 3.14 million years old, one of the earliest
hominids to be discovered. Lucy is dear to us because I oftern refer to Joan
as Lucy, as in Ricky Ricardo's "Lucy, I'm home!"
Here are just a few images from both museums which are all
located in the same great park which includes the Paris Zoo.
