Nantes' Natural History Museum
When science meets myth: The 'Rat King' of Nantes
Category Fascinating Fauna, Natural History
Created at the end of 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 specimen.Among the rarities contained in the museum hides a treasure, an extremely rare and even mythical phenomenon: a "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 as hoaxes and belonging to the field of cryptozoology.
Pictures and filming are allowed in this museum.
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- Hours Wed-Mon: 10-6
- Website Official website
- Address 12 rue Voltaire, Nantes, 44000, France
- Cost 2, free under 18
- "Rat King" article on Wikipedia :
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_king_%28folklore%29
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