NEANDERTHAL MAN MUSEUM

On August 3, 1908, three brothers - Amédée, Jean and Paul Bouyssonie - made a discovery that caused a stir in the scientific and religious worlds (Jean and Amédée were priests). In a small cave called "La Bouffia Bonneval", they unearthed the well-preserved skeleton of a human being, 1.55 m tall and around 50 years old when he died. Estimated to be around 45,000 years old, this skeleton became the reference specimen for the Neanderthal type, and is now housed in the Musée de l'Homme in Paris. On site, the small museum, opened in 1996, around the reconstituted Neanderthal burial site, presents the chronology of evolution, skull differences, tools used, animals hunted at the time and various documents. In the center of the room, the highlight is the reconstitution of the pit containing a replica of the skeleton as it was described in 1908. During the summer vacations, children can learn how to make fire, draw on cave walls like prehistoric man, or even hunt with a thruster! (activities with different themes depending on the season). Theescape game "The disappearance of Professor Raines" will lead families on the trail of a paleontologist who has disappeared. All year round, the Musée de l'Homme de Neandertal offers a rich program of events for all publics, which can be found on the website.