Jardin des sciences de l'Université de Strasbourg

What Jardin des sciences de l'Université de Strasbourg does

Jardin des sciences de l'Université de Strasbourg is a public cultural and scientific mediation department of the Université de Strasbourg, operating a campus-anchored complex in the Neustadt imperial district of Strasbourg, France. The institution manages six core venues — the Planétarium (dome-projection astronomy theater), the Musée de sismologie (housed in a 1900 seismological station), the Musée de minéralogie, the Collections de paléontologie, the Musée Zoologique, and the Jardin botanique — together with the Palais universitaire heritage site and the linked Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg. Its underlying technical asset is a planetarium dome projection system supporting immersive astronomy shows such as Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, Polaris, and La grande aventure du Système solaire, supplemented by hands-on workshop facilities (Atelier des sciences) for school and public programs.

The organization serves three primary customer segments: school groups from maternelle through lycée accessing curriculum-aligned STEM programming; general public and family visitors attending ticketed planetarium shows, guided tours, and free observation events such as La Nuit des étoiles and Fête de la science; and science professionals / doctoral researchers using the site for science-communication training and competitions such as Ma thèse en 180 secondes (MT180). Revenue is generated through a mix of ticket sales (€4–15 per visitor via tickeasy.com), fee-based school and professional training programs, and public institutional funding allocated by the Université de Strasbourg. Distribution is physically visitor-first (on-site walk-ins, school group bookings, off-site festival outreach) augmented by a digital layer spanning website, RSS, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), email newsletters, and the podcast series "Merci de l'avoir posée."

The institution operates 26 staff and is governed under the publishing direction of the Université de Strasbourg's President, Frédérique Berrod, with digital coordination handled by Thomas De Biasio and Johanne Henner of the university's Direction du numérique. It maintains core strategic partnerships with the Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg, the École et observatoire des sciences de la Terre (EOST), the Société Astronomique de France Groupe Alsace (SAFGA), the Vigie-Ciel national citizen-science program, and the Association Française d'Astronomie (AFA), along with a minor marketing partnership with the Festival Contre-temps music festival.

Name

Jardin des sciences de l'Université de Strasbourg

Legal name

Université de Strasbourg

Website

https://jardin-sciences.unistra.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jardin des sciences is the public cultural and scientific mediation department of the Université de Strasbourg, operating a planetarium, five museums, and a botanical garden on the historic Neustadt campus to deliver immersive astronomy shows, hands-on STEM workshops, and outreach programs to school groups, families, and researchers in Alsace, France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum and Planetarium Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

akta.pro primary industry

Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers (THAJADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC), Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

Keywords

• Planetarium shows
• Science museums
• Botanical gardens
• Science education
• Cultural programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Strasbourg

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue from paid admission to planetarium shows, guided tours, and special events. Ticketing handled through tickeasy.com platform.
2. Public funding: Operating funding from Université de Strasbourg as part of the university's cultural and scientific outreach mission.
3. School and professional programs: Fee-based educational programming for school groups and professional training in science mediation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Jardin des sciences operates a planetarium with immersive dome-based astronomical shows, five natural history museums (seismology, mineralogy, paleontology, zoology), a botanical garden, and the historic Strasbourg astronomical observatory within the UNESCO-listed Neustadt campus. It delivers paid public programming (shows, guided tours, special events), curriculum-aligned school programs, and science communication training for professionals, functioning as the science outreach arm of the Université de Strasbourg.

Product overview

Jardin des sciences is a cultural and educational complex at the University of Strasbourg comprising multiple museums (sismology, mineralogy, paleontology, zoology), a planetarium with immersive astronomical shows, a botanical garden with an arboretum, and an astronomical observatory. The facility offers diverse educational programming for schools, groups, and the general public, including science workshops, guided tours, conferences, and special events. The portfolio includes Planétarium (immersive dome shows), Musée de sismologie (seismic instruments museum), Musée de minéralogie (mineral and meteorite collections), Jardin botanique (botanical garden with Coronelli globe), Observatoire astronomique (historic observatory), and Atelier des sciences (hands-on science workshops), all serving science communication and public outreach missions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Planétarium du Jardin des sciences: Planetarium facility offering immersive shows and astronomical projections, located at 27 boulevard de la Victoire, Strasbourg.
• Musée de sismologie
• Musée de minéralogie
• Musée zoologique
• Jardin botanique
• Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg
• Collections de paléontologie
• Atelier des sciences
• Palais universitaire

Products and services

• Planétarium (Planetarium Shows)

Quantifiable outcome

• Participates in national events reaching audiences across France
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Observatoire astronomique de StrasbourgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship for astronomical observation events and shared scientific heritage. The observatory is part of the University of Strasbourg and co-hosts events like La Nuit des étoiles with the Jardin des sciences. The planetarium serves as the public-facing arm of the observatory's outreach mission.
• Société Astronomique de France Groupe Alsace (SAFGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with amateur astronomy association for public observation nights. SAFGA members participate in events like La Nuit des étoiles, bringing telescopes and expertise to complement the planetarium's offerings.
• Association Française d'Astronomie (AFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational astronomy organization partnering for coordinated astronomy events and initiatives across France.
• Association nationale pour la Protection du Ciel et de l'Environnement (ANPCEN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on light pollution awareness and dark sky protection, contributing to public education about astronomical observation conditions.
• Vigie-Ciel programcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional relay for the national citizen science program tracking meteors and meteorites. Jardin des sciences serves as one of the program's regional hubs, coordinating volunteer observations and contributing to participatory research.
• École et observatoire des sciences de la Terre (EOST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Seismology Museum is attached to EOST, the School and Observatory of Earth Sciences at the University of Strasbourg. This connection provides scientific expertise and research backing for the museum's seismology collections and programming.
• Festival Contre-tempsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-sector partnership with the Contre-temps music festival to host special evening events at the planetarium, combining music performances with immersive visual experiences on the dome.
• Université de StrasbourgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent institution providing institutional framework, funding, and connection to university research and academic staff for science communication programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cité de l'Espace: Toulouse-based astronomy and space-themed theme park with immersive planetarium, IMAX, and space exhibitions. Most direct competitor in the French planetarium segment, serving similar school groups and family audiences with science and astronomy content.
• Jardin des Plantes de Paris: Botanical garden attached to the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris. Comparable function to the Jardin botanique at Strasbourg and overlaps in educational programming and public access models.
• Planétarium de Nantes: Municipal planetarium offering immersive astronomical shows and school programs. Directly comparable as a mid-sized French planetarium serving regional audiences with similar educational mission and ticket-based revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Natural History Museum Vienna: European university-affiliated natural history museum with mineralogy, paleontology, zoology, and planetary science collections. Comparable in operating multiple specialized science museums under one university umbrella with significant collections.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle: Paris-based national natural history museum with multiple sites (Jardin des Plantes, Grande Galerie de l'Évolution, menagerie). Comparable to Jardin des sciences in operating natural history collections (mineralogy, paleontology, zoology) and botanical garden functions, but at national scale.
• Palais de la Découverte: Historic Parisian science museum with planetarium, mathematics, and physics exhibits offering interactive demonstrations and school programming. Comparable as a public science museum emphasizing immersive learning, though located in central Paris.
• Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie: France's flagship science museum in Paris, operating a planetarium (Géode), permanent and temporary exhibitions, and a Cité des Enfants. Directly comparable to Jardin des sciences as a public science museum with planetarium programming and educational outreach, but at vastly larger national scale.

Regional players

• Observatoire de Paris: France's oldest astronomical observatory with public outreach programming and historic instruments. Comparable to the Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg in operating a research observatory with public engagement, though Paris-based and larger.
• Cap Sciences (Bordeaux): Regional science center in Nouvelle-Aquitaine offering interactive exhibitions, planetarium, and school programming. Comparable as a publicly funded regional science museum competing for the same school and family segments in its geography.
• Muséum de Toulouse: Regional natural history museum operating exhibitions, a botanical garden, and a planetarium in Toulouse. Comparable as a multi-venue public natural history and science institution serving a regional audience.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/compose
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaFARpCyW2HJYUfeXm6SkjA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Jds.Unistra
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jardin-des-sciences-de-l-universite-de-strasbourg
• Instagraminstagram.com/jds_unistra

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Jardin des sciences de l'Université de Strasbourg