The Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (Museum of Hunting and Nature) is a private museum located in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, France, at 62 rue des Francs-Bourgeois. The museum opened to the public on 3 June 2014 in a 16th‑century Hôtel particulier that previously housed a private collection of hunting art and artifacts.
History
The museum was founded by Jacques Testard, a collector who began acquiring hunting‑related objects in the 1970s. In 2002, Testard opened a temporary exhibition space in the same building, which later evolved into the permanent museum. The institution is operated by a non‑profit association, the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, and receives support from the French Ministry of Culture as well as private sponsors.
Collections
The museum’s permanent collection comprises approximately 2 500 objects spanning from the Middle Ages to contemporary art. Items include:
- 19th‑century hunting weapons (rifles, pistols, bows) and associated equipment.
- Taxidermied animals, both historic specimens and modern artistic reinterpretations.
- Paintings, drawings, and decorative arts that depict hunting scenes, notably works by Frans Snyders, Jean-Baptiste Oudry, and François Boucher.
- Contemporary artworks that engage with themes of hunting, nature, and ecological change, featuring artists such as Damien Hirst, Thomas Hirschhorn, and Marc Quinn.
The collection is organized thematically around four concepts: “The Hunt,” “The Animal,” “The Weapon,” and “The Landscape.”
Exhibitions and Programs
Since its inauguration, the museum has presented a series of temporary exhibitions that juxtapose historical artifacts with modern art. Notable exhibitions include “The Ouroboros” (2017), focusing on cycles of life and death, and “The Climate Crisis” (2022), which explored the impact of human activity on wildlife. The museum also offers educational workshops, guided tours, and a program of scholarly conferences on hunting heritage and conservation.
Architecture and Visitor Information
The museum occupies a historic townhouse designed by architect Nicolas de Larmessin. Renovations preserved period features such as the grand staircase, original wood paneling, and a vaulted cellar that now serves as an exhibition space. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, with admission fees varying for adults, students, and groups. Facilities include a bookshop, a café, and accessibility accommodations.
Significance
The Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature is regarded as a distinctive institution that bridges the cultural history of hunting with contemporary discussions of wildlife protection and environmental ethics. It contributes to Paris’s museum landscape by offering interdisciplinary perspectives that attract both specialists in art history and the general public interested in natural heritage.
