À la recherche des collections naturalistes de Vendée

Unlike most of its neighbouring departments, the Vendée has not benefited from the establishment of a natural history museum in its prefecture. As a result, the zoological, botanical and geological collections resulting from the naturalist surveys carried out in the area are scattered throughout the region. This makes it difficult to bring together the observations and collections made in the department over more than two centuries. The lack of museum-specific expertise has led to some of these collections being lost, damaged or, at best, forgotten.

These collections are the life’s work of enthusiasts, amateurs and professionals, both known and unknown. Often their relatives do not show the same interest in their collections. Even today, the absence of a museum’s influence is still being felt.

Naturalist collections and related documentation are part of our common heritage. It is our duty to safeguard them, showcase them and pass them on to future generations.