Statutes and supervisory ministries

The Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle is a scientific, cultural and professional public institution constituted in the form of a major institution. It is governed by Book VII of the Education Code and by the Decree of 3 October 2001 which defines its statutes, missions and supervisory ministries.

The full decree is available on the Legifrance.gouv.fr website

Art. 1 - The Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle is a public establishment of a scientific, cultural and professional nature constituted in the form of a major establishment within the meaning of Article L. 717-1 of the Education Code. It is subject to the provisions of this same code and the texts taken for its application, subject to the exemptions provided for in the present decree.

Art. 2 - The Museum is placed under the joint supervision of the ministers responsible for higher education, the environment and research. These ministers shall exercise, with regard to the administrative control of the establishment, the powers attributed to the Rector of the Academy, Chancellor of the Universities, by the Education Code and the texts taken for its application.

Each of these ministers may exercise the powers defined in the second paragraph of Article L. 719-7 of the same code.

Art. 3 - Modified by DECREE n°2014-1107 of 1st October 2014 - art. 2

In the field of natural and human sciences, the Museum contributes to the production, development and sharing of knowledge on the geological and biological diversity of the Earth, on the diversity of cultures and societies and on the history of the planet.

To this end, its mission is to develop in synergy fundamental and applied research, expertise, enhancement, enrichment, conservation and availability of collections and of data, training including teaching, education and dissemination of the world of science and technology for all audiences.