Déserts

The “Deserts” exhibition offers a journey into the heart of the planet's most extreme environments. From April 2, 2025 to April 19, 2026, the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution unveils nearly 200 specimens and objects from the collections of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. From the iconic Sahara to the icy expanses of Antarctica, the route reveals unsuspected biodiversity and life’s adaptation strategies. Between science and aesthetics, this immersion questions our relationship with these hostile territories covering a third of the Earth's landmasses.

Sahara, Antarctica, Atacama: the unsuspected diversity of arid landscapes The “Deserts” exhibition route at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle begins with an exploration of desert landscape diversity. These vast territories cover a third of the Earth's landmasses and span all continents. Antarctica is the largest desert in the world, a fact that challenges common assumptions. Paria-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Canyon, Colorado Plateau. Far from clichés of oases and endless dunes, desert environments include varied landscapes: rocky expanses of the Sahara, salty plateaus of the Atacama, frozen stretches of the poles, or sculpted reliefs of the Gobi. Monumental projections immerse visitors in these fascinating landscapes. 200 specimens and objects from the Muséum collections.

When fauna and flora invent extraordinary survival strategies How does life flourish in seemingly hostile environments? The second part of the “Deserts” exhibition reveals life’s answers to extreme conditions. Scarce water sources, temperatures swinging between scorching heat and freezing cold, open environments without shelter, the challenges seem insurmountable. Yet diverse fauna and flora have developed ingenious strategies to thrive. The exhibited taxidermy specimens testify to this inventiveness. The Arctic fox sports paws adapted to walking on snow. The fennec dissipates heat thanks to its oversized ears. The polar bear dominates the ice with its insulating fur. The Sahara silver ant runs at nearly one meter per second on burning sand, one of the fastest animals proportionally to its size. Welwitschia mirabilis, Namib Desert. Focus on the plant Charles Darwin called Welwitschia the “platypus of the plant kingdom.” This Jurassic living fossil, endemic to the Namib Desert, can live over 1,500 years. Its two unique leaves grow continuously, torn by the wind over centuries. Its roots plunge up to 30 meters to reach groundwater, while its leaves trap moisture from coastal fogs. Specimens from the Muséum's collections illustrate this exceptional botanical curiosity.

From ancestral nomadism to contemporary researchers’ field notebooks The “Deserts” exhibition then explores the millennia-old links between humans and these territories. How have populations mastered these challenging environments? The third part examines the transition from nomadism to sedentism. Ethnographic objects from Mali, Nunavut, and Mongolia illustrate ancestral techniques: insulating tents, ingenious irrigation systems, clothing adapted to extreme temperature variations. The transition to scientific research occurs with the “Field Notebooks.” Five researchers share their desert experiences through emblematic objects. A meteorite testifies to the cosmic origins of these landscapes. An Inuit coat symbolizes cultural adaptation to polar deserts. The travel journal of Théodore Monod, a legendary naturalist who explored the Sahara for more than 60 years, evokes a lifetime's passion dedicated to these expanses. Artist Silvère Jarrosson completes this journey with eight monumental canvases created especially for the exhibition. Arctic fox, Iceland.