Musée cantonal de zoologie

What Musée cantonal de zoologie does

The Musée cantonal de zoologie operates as a department within Naturéum (Muséum cantonal des sciences naturelles), a cantonal government museum institution owned by the Canton de Vaud in Lausanne, Switzerland. The institution operates across three sites — the Palais de Rumine (housing geology and zoology galleries), the Jardin botanique cantonal, and the Jardin alpin La Thomasia — and is organized into three departments covering zoology, geology, and botany. It preserves approximately 50,000 vertebrate specimens and nearly 2 million invertebrates, alongside extensive geological holdings including fossils, minerals, and meteorites, with collections tracing back to 1818. The institution rebranded to Naturéum in March 2021 under the directorship of Nadir Alvarez (appointed January 2022).

Naturéum serves the general public, schools, families, and academic researchers. Visitor-facing services include permanent and temporary exhibitions (with free permanent admission and temporary exhibitions priced at 8 CHF for adults / 5 CHF reduced, and free for under-26s), guided tours, workshops, and school programs aligned with natural sciences curricula. Scientific research services cover aquatic insects (Ephemeroptera, Chironomidae), wood ants (Formica), and avian malaria, with active collaboration with the University of Lausanne. The institution's underlying technology is collections management and preservation infrastructure supporting approximately 2 million specimens across multiple sites with 840 m² of exhibition space at Palais de Rumine.

The revenue model is predominantly public-sector: Naturéum is funded primarily by the Canton de Vaud as a government state entity, with ancillary income from temporary exhibition ticket sales, potential donations and "friends" memberships (Devenir ami), and academic collaborations. The institution has no parent company in the corporate sense and is not venture-backed or publicly traded. Its GTM motion centers on physical visitor access, social media engagement (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), a comprehensive website (natureum.ch), press relations, and event programming.

Name

Musée cantonal de zoologie

Legal name

Naturéum

Website

https://zoologie.vd.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1818

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Naturéum is a cantonal natural history museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, operated by the Canton de Vaud across three sites covering zoology, geology, and botany. It preserves approximately 2 million specimens and serves the general public, schools, families, and academic researchers through exhibitions, educational programs, and scientific research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH), Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Zoological collections
• Geological collections
• Botanical garden
• Scientific research

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Naturéum is a multi-site cantonal natural history museum that preserves, exhibits, and researches zoological, geological, and botanical collections for public education and scientific inquiry. It operates permanent and temporary exhibitions across the Palais de Rumine (zoology and geology galleries), the Jardin botanique cantonal de Lausanne, and the Alpine Garden La Thomasia in Pont de Nant, while conducting active research programs in aquatic entomology, myrmecology, and avian malaria in collaboration with the University of Lausanne.

Product overview

Naturéum is a multi-site natural history museum comprising three departments—zoology, geology, and botany. Its core offerings include permanent and temporary exhibitions at the Palais de Rumine, botanical collections at the Jardin botanique cantonal in Lausanne, and the alpine garden La Thomasia in Pont de Nant. The museum preserves approximately 50,000 vertebrates and 2 million invertebrates, along with extensive geological specimens including fossils and minerals. Scientific research services are provided across all three departments, making specimens and data available to academic researchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permanent and Temporary Exhibitions at Palais de Rumine Multi-floor museum galleries at Palais de Rumine housing geology exhibitions on the 3rd floor and zoology exhibitions on the 5th floor (currently closed due to heat waves). Includes both permanent free exhibitions and temporary ticketed exhibitions. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10h-17h. The building is fully accessible to wheelchair users via the north pergola entrance.
• Jardin botanique cantonal de Lausanne Public botanical garden with diverse plant collections, greenhouses, and conservatory. Open 10h-18h30 (April-October) and 10h-17h (November-March). Free admission. Closed annually from mid-December to mid-January. Not fully accessible for people with reduced mobility.
• Alpine Garden La Thomasia (Jardin alpin cantonal) Alpine botanical garden located in Pont de Nant, Les Plans-sur-Bex. Open daily during the summer season, typically May 15 to October 15, from sunrise to sunset. Free entrance. Not accessible for people with reduced mobility.
• Zoological Collections Scientific specimen collection comprising approximately 50,000 vertebrates and nearly 2 million invertebrates, preserved for scientific research and public education. Specimens acquired since 1833 from donations, private collections, and wildlife rescue centers.
• Geological Collections Scientific collection of sedimentary rocks, fossilized organic remains including mammoths and dinosaurs, minerals, crystals, gemstones, ores, and meteorites. Supports research and exhibitions across 840 m² of exhibition space at Palais de Rumine and reserves at the Anthropole building.
• Scientific Research Services Research programs in aquatic insects (mayflies Ephemeroptera, chironomids), wood ants (Formica), avian malaria, and geological sciences. Services include specimen study access, academic collaboration with the University of Lausanne, and joint scientific projects accessible to academic researchers and university students.
• School Educational Programs Structured educational programs and workshops for schools and educational institutions at all levels, aligned with natural sciences curricula. Programs support biology, geology, and environmental studies learning objectives and are bookable through the museum's "Pour les écoles" section.
• Family Activities and Discovery Events Public activities including children's workshops, discovery Wednesdays (Mercredis découverte) during school holidays, guided tours (e.g., Midi botanique), and special events such as the annual botanical garden honey harvest. Designed for families, children, and the general public.
• Temporary Exhibition: Destination archéologie Temporary archaeology exhibition at Palais de Rumine, open from 21 November 2025 to 7 February 2027.
• Temporary Exhibition: Florama Botanical garden exhibition featuring flora themes, open from 1 April to 31 October 2026 at the Jardin botanique.
• Temporary Exhibition: Mimêsis - La nature aux origines de l'innovation Temporary exhibition exploring how nature inspires innovation, located at Palais de Rumine. Open from 22 May 2026 to 11 April 2027.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SwissCollNetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on major advances in digitization and preservation of natural history collections, as announced in December 2024. This national network focuses on digitizing Swiss scientific collections.
• University of LausannecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing research collaboration with the University of Lausanne on avian malaria studies in birds and bats. The Department of Zoology scientists conduct joint research projects with university researchers, particularly in the study of mosquito-borne diseases affecting titmice and bats.
• Faculté des géosciences et de l'environnementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of Geology shares a common library with the Faculty of Geosciences and the Environment on the Dorigny campus, facilitating academic collaboration and resource sharing between the museum and university researchers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Naturhistorisches Museum Basel: Cantonal natural history museum in Basel with zoological, geological, and mineralogical collections and active research. Closest comparable peer — same institutional model (Swiss cantonal museum), similar collection focus, and similar scale and audience.
• Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern: Bern's natural history museum with vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, geology, and active scientific research programs. Directly comparable as a Swiss regional natural history museum with similar collection structure and academic orientation.
• Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève: Geneva's natural history museum operating under similar Swiss public-institution model with zoological, geological, and mineralogical collections. Closest geographic peer to Naturéum with comparable cantonal government funding structure and educational mission.
• Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève: Geneva's botanical garden and conservatory with herbarium collections and research programs. Directly comparable to Naturéum's botanical department as a Swiss public botanical institution combining public gardens with scientific collections.

Broad incumbents

• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris): France's flagship natural history museum with extensive zoological, botanical, and geological collections and active research. Operates at far greater scale but is directly comparable as a multi-disciplinary natural history museum with academic and educational missions similar to Naturéum.
• Natural History Museum (London): World-leading natural history museum with vast zoological and botanical collections, active research institutes, and major public exhibitions. Comparable as an institutional model combining public exhibition, deep scientific collections, and active research, though at vastly greater scale.
• Senckenberg Nature Research Society: German natural history research society operating multiple museums with active research in zoology, geology, and biodiversity. Comparable as a public natural history institution with research-led operating model and significant scientific collections.

Emerging players

• Jardin alpin du Lautaret: French alpine botanical garden in the Lautaret pass with public visitation, research, and educational programs. Directly comparable to Naturéum's La Thomasia alpine garden as a European alpine botanical attraction with scientific mission.

Regional players

• Muséum d'histoire naturelle de la Ville de Lausanne (formerly): Lausanne's municipal natural history museum that has historically shared the Palais de Rumine space. Operates as a regional peer in the same city with overlapping zoological and geological exhibition content and complementary educational programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/natureum.vd
• Facebookfacebook.com/natureum.vd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mus%C3%A9e-cantonal-de-zoologie
• Instagraminstagram.com/natureum.vd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Musée cantonal de zoologie