Muséum Henri-Lecoq

The natural history museum of Clermont-Ferrand opened in 1873, built on the collections bequeathed by Henri Lecoq, the naturalist who roamed Auvergne for nearly fifty years. Local animals, plants, rocks and fossils are displayed in his former town house in Volvic stone. Since 2023, a space devoted to palaeontology has been telling the story of life on Earth, the evolution of birds and the fossil past of the Limagne. The collections number nearly 650,000 objects and specimens, including 2,400 mounted birds, 290,000 insects and 120,000 shells. The museum also holds the collection of the chemist Lavoisier (3,200 pieces, mostly minerals) and Louis Pasteur's laboratory flask, a memento of his time in Clermont.

It's the fallback outing when it rains, especially with children. Allow about 1 hour 30. In 2026, entry costs €5 (€3 reduced rate); it is free up to age 18 inclusive, and for everyone on the first Sunday of the month. The floors can only be reached by stairs. The Jardin Lecoq, right next door, was the botanical garden that Henri Lecoq ran.