Both institutions are full of extraordinary stuffed animals, so it’s only natural that the Museum – and some contemporary artists – are contributing towards the reconstruction of Deyrolle, a real curiosity in Paris’ Left Bank that caught fire on 1st February 2008, destroying much of its historic collection…

(c) Raphaël Wolff (the white dog is by Jeff Koons !)


As a vegetarian I have mixed feeling about recommending the Paris Hunting and Nature Museum (le Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature) in the Marais area. Seeing all thos stuffed animals gives me the willies! But I’m strong! I focus! I tell myself that the poor things are dead already and I should be less sentimental! And it works…

(c) Raphaël Wolff

Currently, but only for a few days, the Museum is holding a fundraising exhibition for the Cabinet Deyrolle which, since 1831, has offered nature lovers the chance to see its collection of insects and shells, natural curiosities and access to educational material for teaching natural history.

On 1st February a huge fire raged through the Deyrolle building, gutting the entomology room and a large part of the collection. Only recently they been able to re-open, and only partially at that. In order to help reconstruction, the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature is holding an exhibition from 4th – 13th November 2008 showing the work of numerous contemporary artists, created after the fire. The works of art will be auction off at Christie’s with all proceeds going to the Friends of Deyrolle association in order to rebuild the historic building and the collection.

Just after the fire, the terrible sight of what was left of the original décor and zoological exhibition obviously touched the artists who knew the place already. The destroyed mass was an obvious metaphor for the fragility of nature and the precarious state of some species. Inspired by the remains, the artists interpreted this metaphor. The result is an extraordinary “gallery”: powerful, diverse and in a variety of media (photography, painting, video, sculpture, installations…).

Amongst the artists you’ll find Yann Arthus Bertrand…

Nan Goldin…

Bettina Rheims…

and the always astonishing Sophie Calle…

The exhibition also marks the publication of a new book about Deyrolle called “Fragile Nature” (Nature Fragile, Le Cabinet Deyrolle), by Beaux-arts TTM Éditions. And if you want to buy one of the pieces form the exhibition, remember to go to Christie’s on 13th November 2008.

(c) Raphaël Wolff

Here’s all the essential information for the Deyrolle fundraiser exhibition at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris

When: 4th ) 13th November 2008
Where: Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, 62 rue des Archives, 75003 Paris, métro Rambuteau (line 11)
Opening hours: Tuesdays – Sundays, 11am – 6pm
Entrance fee: adults 6 euros, concessions 4.50 euros, free for under-18s and for everyone on the first Sunday of the month
More informations: here and here.

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