Examining similarities and differences. This is the art of comparative anatomy in order to better understand the functioning of the living world... Paleontology, by deciphering fossils, invites us to go back in time! Discover the gallery dedicated to these two disciplines, a scientific, heritage and historical epicentre within the Museum.
The Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy Gallery
You’re in luck! Here you’ll find some remarkable specimens, which were used to develop the very foundations of comparative anatomy. Among the specimens on display are extinct animals that are impossible to observe in the wild today. So you are in the only place where scientists are studying them.
Observe and compare
From the organisation of the skeleton, common to all vertebrates, identify the differences between the groups: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. How is a hedgehog's leg or a bird's wing articulated? Where are the nostrils and eyes located in a whale's skull? By comparing sizes and shapes, decipher the adaptations to living environments and how it is possible to live on land, in the air or in the water. Observe the anatomy of living organisms and how they function, revealed by a series of organs. Lungs, hearts and brains illustrate breathing, circulation and the extraordinary central nervous system.
