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Port Louis National History Museum

Port Louis, Mauritius

Decreed National Museum in the year 2000, the Natural History Museum is the oldest museum in Mauritius. The museum is home to more than 35,000 geological samples and natural history specimens, 3,000 of which are on display. Housed in the old Royal College in Port Louis, this museum showcases Mauritius’ rich and diverse flora and fauna.What makes Mauritius’ Natural History Museum an exceptional place are the relics of extinct species on exhibit. Among them are a complete skeleton of a Rodrigues Solitaire, the last of these Dodo-like birds disappeared at the end of the 18th century, two giant tortoises, and Sumeires, a species of turtle that became extinct in the 17th century… There are also numerous specimens of now extinct animals such as the Giant Mauritian Lizard, considered the largest lizard in the world and of course the famous Dodo, Mauritius’ national symbol. You will marvel at the creatures that lived on land, in the ocean or in the skies, of all shapes and sizes, on display in the museum. If you would like to find out more about Mauritius’ surviving flora and fauna, visit our Meet the Animals section.The museum’s geology collection is also very interesting. Here, the only animals are fossils and the best part of the exhibits show collections of different rocks collected from all over Mauritius for the museum. Some of the pieces come from the bottom of the ocean or from the craters of the island’s oldest volcanoes. Some of the rocks date back to the formation of the island when volcanic activity saw it rise from the ocean. After a visit to this museum in Mauritius, you will understand more of what you see when visiting Mauritius.
Port Louis Natural History Museum : operating hours and reservations

This museum in Port Louis is open from Monday to Friday (with the exception of Wednesday) from 9am until 4pm and on Saturday from 9am until midday. Entry to the museum is free ; it would be a shame to miss out on the museum whilst visiting Port Louis on your holiday in Mauritius !

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