Jardin des Plantes Menagerie: closed on October 23 and 24

The Ménagerie at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris is closed on Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24, 2026, according to announcements by the National Museum of Natural History.

The Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes is the oldest menagerie in Paris, and with good reason: it opened in 1794! Renowned for its rich history and famous residents, such as Zarafa, the first giraffe to live in France, the site is now home to over 150 animal species, more than a third of which are endangered.

Spanning 5.5 hectares, the menagerie is home to a wide range of species in its listed buildings. From the Grande Volière to the Bear Pits, the Rotonde, the Vivarium and the Reptile Gallery, discover animals from all seven continents. Red pandas, snow leopards, Seychelles tortoises, orangutans, Sichuan takins, golden lion tamarins, Arabian oryx... The Menagerie even has its stars, such as Nénette, the 50-year-old female orang-utan!

In total, the Menagerie is home to more than 500 residents of small and medium-sized species, adapted to the enclosures. So you too can discover them during your visit to the enclosures where they live:

les Fosses aux ours
La Rotonde
Reptile Gallery
The Great Aviary
Vivarium
the Singerie
La Fauverie
the Desert Aviary

For children, a free web application created by the Menagerie lets you discover fifteen species in a fun way. With challenges for children aged 4 to 6 and older children aged 7 to 12, the web application lets you take a fun (and free) stroll through the Menagerie. If you decide to spend the day in the heart of the Menagerie , picnic tables are available in various areas of the zoo.

Weekly entertainment schedule :

carnivore meal, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
meetings with the caretakers (Wednesdays, weekends and public holidays during school terms; every day during school vacations). At 2.45pm for the helmeted cassowary, 3.15pm for the golden lion tamarin, 3.45pm for the Malayan carpet, 4.15pm for the Tasmanian devil.

The Jardin des Plantes Menagerie is open every day of the year, including public holidays (except December 25), from 10am to 5pm. Admission is €13 full price, €10 concessions for under-25s, and children under 3 don't pay! The site is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Please note: The Menagerie is undergoing extensive renovation work in certain areas of the tour circuit. In 2024, the Menagerie is building a new orang-utan area, scheduled to open in 2025. The reptile pavilion is also undergoing renovation, with new features planned for 2026. Here's a tour map explaining the construction zones.

News from the Ménagerie:

Halloween 2026 at the Menagerie: snakes, phobias and astonishing animals at the Jardin des Plantes
During the All Saints' holidays in 2026, La Ménagerie presents "Not Even Scared!" — activities for children aged 6 and up to discover the animals that scare us, included in the admission. [Read more]

Carnet rose: two baby red pandas are born at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris
It's certainly the cutest news of the moment: two little red pandas have been born at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. [Read more]

Unusual: witness the feeding of the felines at the Jardin des Plantes Menagerie
On certain days of the week, the Jardin des Plantes Menagerie invites you to take part in an exceptional experience in the fauverie, in the heart of the Jardin des Plantes Menagerie, by attending a feline meal. [Read more]

Museum in Paris: several areas will be closed on Saturday, October 24
The Jardin des Plantes, the Ménagerie, the Grandes Serres and the Galerie de Géologie-Minéralogie will be closed on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The Grande Galerie de l’Évolution will remain open, and Pariscience will go ahead. [Read more]

2026 All Saints’ Day school holidays: Events and activities at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris
The Muséum is offering family outings for the 2026 All Saints’ holiday. Please note that there will be partial closures at the Jardin des Plantes on October 23 and 24: the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution will remain open, and Pariscience will go ahead. [Read more]

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.

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