Nantes' Natural History Museum

Armadillo in kit

The "Rat King"

Rat King Wikimedia (Wikimedia)

Hippopotamus skull

Simians

Zoology main room

Taxidermy in construction

One of many weird birds

Coelacanthe, the 'prehistoric' fish

Inside a whale's skeleton

Taxidermy specimen of a resplendent quetzal, a species native to Mexico and Central America melina1965 (Creative Commons)

A (live) mexican water moccassin snake at the museum melina1965 (Creative Commons)

Created at the end of the 1800s, this beautiful museum has a rich collection of both minerals and animals (skeletons and taxidermy) and a nice vivarium. The collection of bird taxidermy is especially rich with some rare and fascinating specimens. Among the rarities is a hidden treasure — an extremely rare and even mythical phenomenon known as the “Rat King”.

It is said in folklore that sometimes a group of rats can get their tails knotted together in an inextricable way. They will spend the rest of their lives joined together, sometimes even getting their skin welded together, becoming a kind of monstrous single entity dependent on its community for food.

Most reported cases have occurred in Germany, and only a handful of cases can be found in museums, including this one consisting of nine rats preserved in an alcohol bath. This phenomenon is unexplained and the specimens are often considered hoaxes and belonging to the field of cryptozoology.

As well as dead specimens, the museum also holds a collection of live animals including several very cool venomous and constrictor snakes.

Pictures and filming are allowed in this museum.

Know Before You Go

It's not allowed to bring any luggage (bigger bags/backpacks) to the museum. There are no lockers and they won't let you leave the bag in the ticket office. Be sure to leave any luggage somewhere else before visiting.