Muséum de Toulouse

What Muséum de Toulouse does

The Muséum de Toulouse is a municipal natural history museum operated by Toulouse Métropole under the Direction de la Culture Scientifique, Technique et Industrielle. Founded in 1865, it is the second largest natural history museum in France by visitor numbers and collection wealth, stewarding 2.5 million specimens across zoology, botany, paleontology, mineralogy, ethnology, and photography. Its core holdings are displayed through an 8,000-object permanent exhibition spread over 6,000 m² in the main building (a former Carmelite convent), supplemented by the Henri Gaussen Botanical Garden (3,500 species across 5,000 m² with 10 greenhouses) and the 3-hectare Jardins du Muséum à Borderouge site.

The museum's product surface is multi-modal: on-site ticketed visits (€5–€12 tiered pricing), the Ketzal Boutique (on-site and online merchandise), the Le Moaï restaurant concession, space privatization for corporate events, scientific publishing via the Punch magazine, and a turnkey travelling exhibition programme (active since 2011, reaching over 2 million visitors internationally across ten countries). Digital infrastructure consists of a WordPress CMS website, the Sécutix 360 ticketing platform, and open-access collection sharing through Wikimedia, Flickr, Joconde, and eRecolnat databases (Wikimedia Bronze Charte Libre certified, 2022). Technology differentiation rests on seven generations of taxidermy expertise and interactive digital mediation tools (3D imagery, interactive video).

Revenue derives from five streams: entrance ticket sales (one-time fees, seasonal €5–€12), Ketzal Boutique retail, professional venue rental for corporate events, travelling exhibition licensing (royalty/licensing model), and museum editions publishing. Customer segments span individual/family visitors, school groups, visitors with disabilities, partner museums internationally, and corporate/B2B event clients. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer (box office + Sécutix 360 online ticketing), supplemented by the international institutional channel for travelling exhibitions.

Name

Muséum de Toulouse

Legal name

Le Muséum d'histoire naturelle (Muséum de Toulouse)

Website

https://museum.toulouse-metropole.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Muséum de Toulouse is France's second largest natural history museum, operating three sites (main building, botanical garden, Borderouge gardens) and stewarding 2.5 million specimens. It serves general public visitors, schools, corporate clients, and international partner museums via ticketed admissions, retail, event rental, and a turnkey travelling exhibition programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Museum exhibitions
• Travelling exhibitions
• Botanical garden displays
• Scientific cultural education

Headquarters

HQ city

Toulouse

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Entrance Ticket Sales: On-site box office and online ticket sales for museum entry, temporary exhibitions, and special events. Tickets are priced based on season (high/low) with reduced rates for eligible visitors. Online sales use Sécutix 360 ticketing system.
2. Boutique Sales: On-site Ketzal Boutique and online shop selling books, games, educational toys, stationery, plush toys, figurines, t-shirts, posters, jewellery, and souvenirs related to museum themes. Ephemeral pop-up shop at Gardens of Museum in Borderouge during seasonal events.
3. Space Rental for Events: Privatization of museum spaces including auditorium (186 seats), Grand Carré, Rodents & Carnivores room (18-32 people), and Gardens spaces (Esplanade, Ombrière 50-150 people, Salle Découverte 25-50 people) for corporate events, gala dinners, seminars, and conferences.
4. Travelling Exhibition Licensing: Rental and licensing of travelling exhibitions to other museums and institutions worldwide. Exhibitions are offered as turnkey productions with sizes from 100 to 700 sq.m., including museography support, scenography, logistics, and communication kits. Proven to have reached over 2 million visitors internationally.
5. Museum Editions Publications: Publishing of Punch magazine and other scientific/cultural content. Books and publications available through the boutique and online shop, with professional distributor discounts up to 65% on public prices for book distributors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Muséum de Toulouse is a natural history museum operating from multiple sites including a 6,000 m² main exhibition centre, the Henri Gaussen Botanical Garden (5,000 m² with 3,500 species), and the Jardins du Muséum à Borderouge (3-hectare outdoor space). It conserves 2.5 million specimens across zoology, botany, paleontology, mineralogy, ethnology, and photography, displaying 8,000 objects in its permanent exhibition. The museum offers temporary exhibitions, educational workshops, a research library, venue rental for corporate events, and an international travelling exhibition program active since 2011.

Product overview

Muséum de Toulouse is a natural history museum offering a multi-site experience comprising permanent and temporary exhibitions at its main center (6,000 m²), the Henri Gaussen Botanical Garden (5,000 m² with 3,500 species), and the Jardins du Muséum à Borderouge (3-hectare outdoor space). The museum provides educational services including libraries, workshops, and travelling exhibitions, retail through the Ketzal Boutique (on-site and online), and hospitality via Restaurant Le Moaï. Online ticketing is handled through Sécutix 360, and the institution publishes the Punch magazine. The museum also offers venue privatization services for corporate events and has been developing travelling exhibitions since 2011.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Punch: The magazine of the Muséum de Toulouse, published regularly with scientific and cultural content
• Ketzal Boutique
• Le Moaï
• Jardin Botanique Henri Gaussen
• Les Jardins du Muséum à Borderouge

Products and services

• Permanent Exhibition Immersive permanent exhibition showcasing 8,000 displayed objects drawn from 2.5 million specimens in the museum's reserve collections across zoology, botany, paleontology, mineralogy, ethnology, and photography. Designed for general public visitors of all ages to explore the living world and discover Earth and its inhabitants.
• Henri Gaussen Botanical Garden Botanical garden spanning 5,000 m² with 3,500 conserved species across 10 greenhouses, open Tuesday to Sunday from 10h to 18h. Serves general public visitors interested in botanical diversity and greenhouse collections.
• Jardins du Muséum à Borderouge 3-hectare outdoor space in the Borderouge district offering nature discovery and education activities, including vegetable gardens, themed spaces, and the Esplanade, Ombrière shadehouse, and Salle Découverte facilities. Open Saturday-Sunday 10h-12h / 14h-18h with workshops for ages 14+ on Saturdays and 8+ on Sundays.
• Travelling Exhibitions Turnkey travelling exhibition packages (100-700 m²) offered to other museums and cultural institutions worldwide, with themes including biodiversity, water, mineralogy, and natural history. Offered as complete productions with museography support, scenography, logistics, and communication kits. Targets museums and cultural institutions internationally.
• Event Privatization and Venue Rental Privatization of museum spaces including a 186-seat auditorium, Grand Carré historic hall, Rodents & Carnivores meeting room (18-32 people), and gardens spaces (Esplanade, Ombrière 50-150 people, Salle Découverte 25-50 people). Targeted at companies and organizations seeking prestigious venues for corporate events, gala dinners, seminars, conferences, and receptions.
• Escape Game Experience Private evening escape game held at the museum, designed for corporate team-building events where groups solve puzzles to catch a fictional thief. Targets companies and organizations seeking unique team-building activities.
• Ketzal Boutique (On-site and Online Shop) On-site and online retail shop offering books, games, educational toys, stationery, plush toys, figurines, t-shirts, posters, jewellery, and souvenirs related to natural history and museum themes. Online shop at boutique.museum.toulouse-metropole.fr with home delivery. Physical store open Tuesday-Friday 11h-18h, Saturday-Sunday 10h-18h.
• Restaurant Le Moaï Gourmet self-service restaurant located at the museum entrance, offering fresh, local, and creative cuisine with terrace seating. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10h-18h with lunch service 12h-14h. Operated by Pauline and Julien Braillon since 2015.
• Punch Magazine Periodically published museum magazine covering scientific and natural history topics, exhibitions, and behind-the-scenes content. Distributed through the museum's online Kiosk and available via the Calameo digital platform. Available issues span from issue 3 to issue 15.
• Online Ticketing (Sécutix 360 Platform) Online ticket sales platform at billetterie.museum.toulouse-metropole.fr for museum entry, temporary exhibitions, and events. Includes credit card payment, account creation, date modification capabilities, and unified login across the Toulouse cultural institutions network. Operated via Sécutix 360 software.
• Bibliothèque Émile Cartailhac (Research Library) Research library open Tuesday-Saturday 14h-18h, providing access to documentary collections for researchers and students. Located at the main museum site.
• Médiathèque jeunesse 'Pourquoi pas?' (Children's Media Library) Children's media library open Wednesdays and Saturdays 14h-18h during school term and Tuesday-Saturday during zone C school holidays. Targets youth audiences with educational media resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2 million international visitors reached through travelling exhibitions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wikimedia FrancecoreOthers · 1 January 2022Open access digital partnership with Wikimedia France supporting the Bronze Level Charte Libre certification. Collections shared on Wikimedia, Flickr, Joconde, and eRecolnat platforms for free public access.
• Musée des Confluences (Lyon)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Co-production partnership for travelling exhibition 'Magic' developed with Musée des Confluences in Lyon, expanding the exhibition catalogue with major French museum partners.
• Museum of Natural Sciences (Brussels)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Co-production partnership for 'Baby Animals' travelling exhibition with the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels, international collaboration in natural history exhibition development.
• Cité de l'EspacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Co-production partnerships including 'Water from Above' and 'Astro Kid' exhibitions with Cité de l'Espace, combining natural history and space science themes.
• TAT ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Animation studio collaboration for 'The Jungle Bunch' travelling exhibition, bringing animated film characters into natural history museum context.
• Le Moaï RestaurantminorOthersOn-site restaurant operated by Pauline and Julien Braillon since 2015, offering gourmet self-service cuisine, open Tuesday-Sunday 10h-18h with lunch service 12h-14h. Located at museum entrance with terrace seating.
• SécutixcoreTechnology or IntegrationTicketing technology provider supplying Sécutix 360 software for online ticket sales, account management, and event scheduling across all museum sales channels.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Natural History Museum (London): One of the world's leading natural history museums with 80+ million specimens. Directly comparable in mission (natural history, research, education, exhibitions) and is a benchmark for the global travelling exhibition model. Both institutions generate revenue through ticketing, retail, venue hire, and touring exhibitions.
• Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris): France's flagship natural history museum in Paris. Directly comparable in mission (natural history collections, exhibitions, research) and operates the Jardin des Plantes, but at a significantly larger scale. Both institutions are public entities and serve as benchmark comparators for visitor numbers, collection wealth, and travelling exhibitions.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: The world's largest natural history collection (148 million specimens) and a global benchmark for museum programming, research, and travelling exhibitions. Comparable in core mission and revenue diversification, though at vastly larger scale and with global brand recognition.

Direct peers

• Cité de l'Espace (Toulouse): Sister institution under Toulouse Métropole's DCSTI, focused on space and astronomy. Direct co-production partner on travelling exhibitions ('Water from Above', 'Astro Kid'). Operates a comparable ticketing, events, and educational model within the same municipal governance structure.
• Musée des Confluences (Lyon): Major French science and society museum in Lyon. Co-production partner of the Toulouse museum's travelling exhibitions. Operates with a similar mix of permanent and temporary exhibitions, venue rental, and educational programming, serving as the most direct French regional comparable in scale and ambition.
• Museum of Natural Sciences (Brussels): Belgium's leading natural history museum and active co-production partner with Muséum de Toulouse on the 'Baby Animals' travelling exhibition. Operates a similar mix of permanent galleries, educational programs, and touring exhibitions for international audiences.
• Naturhistorisches Museum Wien: One of Europe's oldest and most important natural history museums (30 million specimens). Comparable in scale, age, and mission, with similar revenue streams including ticketing, exhibitions, retail, and research partnerships. Relevant peer for European touring exhibition markets.
• Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden): Dutch natural history museum and research institution with comparable scale (42 million specimens). Operates a similar combined museum-research mandate, runs travelling exhibitions, and serves as a relevant European peer for content licensing and collection management practices.
• Quai des Savoirs (Toulouse): Toulouse Métropole's flagship science and innovation center, operated under the same Direction de la Culture Scientifique. Shares the unified ticketing account system and represents a directly comparable municipal cultural venue with overlapping educational programming and visitor base.

Regional players

• Muséum de Lyon (Musée des Confluences predecessor / Lyon Natural History Museum): The historical natural history collections of Lyon were transferred to the Musée des Confluences, but several French regional natural history museums (e.g., Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Lyon, now integrated) operate comparable tier-2 natural history collections and educational programs. Useful benchmark for French regional natural history museum performance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCe_QLfo_PIEvjYxeVwQQ4DA
• Facebookfacebook.com/museumdetoulouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museum-de-toulouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/museumtoulouse

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Muséum de Toulouse