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Its unnatural position and unappealing details make us suppose that its taxidermists have never seen it live. For example, although it is a digitigrade animal, the position of its feet was prepared like that of a plantigrade. [...] Two different approaches thus coexisted for over two centuries: a seventeenth-century one "cabinet of curiosities" like and a late eighteenth century one, with a naturalistic aim. [...] Therefore, a restoration, completed in 2012, was necessary which highlighted the two different approaches of preparation, allowing to enhance its original appearance, but also preserving the beautiful wax modeling reconstruction of the details of the head.

Here we have, in part, a history of "exotic" European zoological inquiry in microcosm. Everybody's all oh let's go see the important church, or the other important church, even though the line is an hour long, and no one wants to look at the fucked up hippo with me.

Also, I want to be clear: this was a great museum and I think more people should go and would have a great time there even without knowing or caring much about the history of science (or even being as easily amused by taxidermy as I am). Their current exhibit juxtaposes actual historical taxidermy with modern art of fantastical medieval-esque imagined creatures. And their collection of wax anatomical models is fascinating (and quite famous). They have a lovely mineral collection, too.

Also if you like me are easily lost, and you get confused about how to leave, you can just follow the wheelchair-accessible path because it's the only one you can find that leads to the exit! And then you get to see a surprise giraffe in a corner by the elevator, away from all of the other taxidermy. Why not!