A Visit to the National Science Museum: Natural History | 국립중앙과학관 자연사관 (Daejeon, Republic of Korea)

 Walking to the Science Park

Great iNaturalisting along the way, take a bit of a wrong turn and then have to go through some construction. Then, over to the main road and there is even more construction. I’m waived through by one of the workers and go around a front loader. Lots, of course, cicadas around by deafening sound of their chorusing!

National Science Museum | 국립중앙과학관

The National Science Museum is a very large complex with a Science & Technology Hall (that’s packed with interactive displays and loud crowds of children (as by design I assume) on one side and the Natural History Museum on the other. Also in the complex is a Children’s Science Museum, something called the Dreamy Experience Center, an Astronomy Center, and a science playground.

Behind the Science and Technology Hall is the Space Science Park, a display of Korean rocketry and, for some reason, maglev trains. Very popular photo spot!

• As the representative place of science technology, and culture, the National Science Museum was established in Seoul, Jung-Gu, Yejang-Dong in 1945 to promote the scientific developments of everyday life and to encourage the developments of scientific creativity amongst youth. In 1983, the expansion and relocation of the Science Museum took place at Daejeon’s Daedeok Science Complex, the new compound was to have total space of 176,232㎡ and the interior space of 43,384㎡. After 5 years of construction, the current Science Museum opened in October 9th of 1990. -- Website

National Science Museum Natural History | 국립중앙과학관 자연사관

Across the way from the Science and Technology Hall  (through a giant archway) is the Natural History Museum. The first floor is dinosaurs, geology, stuffed animals, the usual things. Very nice exhibition of trilobites! One of my favorite extinct animals. One of my favorite extinct animals. Pinned insect display a bit disappointing since the cicadas (including the Eastern Horse Cicada) are way up high. 

• At the Natural history Hall you can see the natural history of Korean peninsula-land of Korean peninsula and creatures on the land. You can find evidences of the very early life forms on our land. There are rare specimens such as billion years old fossils and 2.5 billion years old rocks. You can also experience virtual reality and specimen making at the Discovery Zone and Natural history laboratory. -- Website

Second floor is human evolution. Nicely done display the seques into tool making and has a nice history of human tools that ends with computers and hi-tech things. Overall, quite nice, and I should add, worth the cost of entry, which was free. 

I skipped the Science Cafe and headed out of the Science Park …

Back to the Gapcheon River

I left the park, walking along some shrubbery by the parking lot and had great iNaturalist finds, including a tree with Eastern Horse Cicada (Cryptotympana atrata) low to the ground. Added a number of observations and then, right in front of me was a large male within reach. Snatched him up and got some good photos. Set him on my hand, but he didn’t want anymore to do we me (doing the cicada danger cry) and with a wobble, flew off. Crossed the big street to avoid the construction and went down to the riverside walkway.

Cryptotympana atrata

A Visit to the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris) in April 2026

While on a work trip to Paris, I had some time and after strolling along the Seine, thought I would take a wander through the Jardin des Plantes and make a visit to the one of the world's greatest natural history museums, none other than the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN).

I was last at the MNHN in 2023 for that year's BHL Annual Meeting. That visit was bittersweet as it was the first BHL meeting without Constance Rinaldo. We had lost her the previous year (in October 2022). At the Paris meeting, however, we were able to celebrate her life and accomplishments along with members of her family.

So, this visit was a bit different (and as a side note, the 2026 BHL Annual meeting was taking place this very same week, but, as in 2016, in London at the Natural History Museum  and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. But I digress. 

Grande Galerie de l'Évolution

On this visit (27 April 2026), I went to hit a few highlights -- chief among them the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution (above). The dodo exhibit was a bit disappointing. Seems the "disparues" animal exhibit was being redone, so there was no grand dodo on display this time.

I wandered around a bit more (lots of stairs, but in a nice open plan). Headed out and went across the way to pay respects at the House of Buffon, that would be Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon. The building is now the offices of the scientific publishing wing of the MNHN (back in 2018, at my first visit to the MNHN we had some meetings with Laurence Bénichou (Head of Publishing and a longtime and strong supporter of BHL). 

Time to move on. Decided to look for lunch, but can't decide where, almost go to the cafe at the Grande Mosquée de Paris but realize I can't get a beer there so move on. None of the lunch spots are hitting what I’m looking for. Finally, decide to go to Place de la Contrescarpe which seems packed with eateries. I get there and there are throngs of people in cafes. I choose, the Cafe La Contrescarpe, almost get mussels, but choose steak and frites which includes 3 deviled eggs and a salad. Very good. I add a beer, but just one! Food and service are very good. My table overlooks the Place, so good people watching options.

A Visit to the Statens Naturhistoriske Museum (Copenhagen) in March 2026

While attending the 2026 GBIF Midterm Meeting in Copenhagen (Denmark) I had a chance to visit the recently (re)opened Statens Naturhistoriske Museum. On previous visits to Copenhagen, I'd visited the museum when it was located at the University of Copenhagen, near the Fælledparken (Østerbro). 

The new museum (not yet fully open) has a fascinating history, but most interestingly, it can trace it's roots back to Ole Worm and his Museum Wormianum: 

The history of the individual departments, which now are part of the united Natural History Museum of Denmark, can be traced back to the 17th century. One historical figure in particular played a crucial role in the creation of the Danish national heritage, namely Ole Worm (1588–1654). His cabinet of natural curiosities, the Museum Wormianum, formed together with the Royal Danish Cabinet of Curiosities the nucleus of what later would become the Geological Museum and the Zoological Museum. In 1621 Ole Worm also became the director of the Botanical Garden, which at that time had been quite neglected. Here he introduced a large variety of medicinal plants and rare species from abroad. -- Wikipedia

The museum now houses the exhibition, "A cabinet of curiosities: Ole Worm’s ‘Museum Wormianum’ (1655)" a recreation of the Museum Wormianum by artist Rosamond Purcell. In this installation of the work, the museum has also included some of the original artifacts from Worm's Museum in a nearby exhibition case, including the "crocodile on the ceiling" and "deer jaw in tree". 

Also of interest to me (of course) is the Raphus cucullatus (Linnaeus, 1758) in their collection.

See also the following posts:

• Meeting: 2026 GBIF Midterm Meeting (24-25 March 2026, Copenhagen)
• iNaturalist Observations: In and Around Copenhagen (22-31 March 2026)