BnF Richelieu Opens 'Histoires d'animaux' Permanent Collection Display Through August 2027
The 'Histoires d'animaux' exhibition at the Richelieu site of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) has been redesigned, with dates set from September 18, 2026, to August 29, 2027. Visitors will find medieval manuscripts, prints, scores, and lithographs displayed beneath the Galerie Mazarin frescoes, including works such as an engraving by Albrecht Dürer and a score by Claude Debussy. The exhibition journey spans from the Middle Ages to the 2000s, featuring notable pieces like the Roman de Renart, Dürer’s 1515 Rhinoceros, and Fables by Jean de La Fontaine. Organized in three annual rotations due to light sensitivity, the display incorporates items from BnF collections and loans from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, which is celebrating its 400th anniversary. The BnF is situated at 5 Rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris.
Key facts
- The exhibition 'Histoires d'animaux' runs from September 18, 2026 to August 29, 2027 at the BnF Richelieu site.
- It is installed under the frescoes of the Galerie Mazarin in Paris.
- The chronological route covers the Middle Ages to the 2000s and includes artists, cartographers, photographers, writers, philosophers and composers.
- Works shown include Dürer's 1515 Rhinoceros, Gaston Phébus's Livre de chasse (1387–1389), the Roman de Renart, La Fontaine's Fables and Jean de Brunhoff's Voyage de Babar.
- Contemporary pieces include Gilles Aillaud's lithographs Les Pingouins (1974) and Varan (1985), and prints by Cécile Reims.
- The display uses the BnF's permanent collections plus loans from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, which celebrates its 400th anniversary this year.
- Museum director Emmanuel Coquery said the route questions the evolution of the relationship between humanity and animality.
- The light-sensitive works are rotated three times a year, with renewals planned for January and May.
Entities
Artists
- Albrecht Dürer
- Claude Debussy
- Édouard Manet
- Gaston Phébus
- Magné de Marolles
- Jean de La Fontaine
- Jean de Brunhoff
- Gilles Aillaud
- Cécile Reims
- Emmanuel Coquery
- Pierre Boulle
- Colette
- Erik Satie
Institutions
- Bibliothèque nationale de France
- BnF Richelieu
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
- Centre Pompidou
- MNAM-CCI
- ADAGP
- Galerie Mazarin
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Galerie Mazarin
- 5 Rue Vivienne
- 75002 Paris