Major Tourist Attractions in Saint-Denis

Natural History Museum

The Museum d'Histoire Naturelle (Natural History Museum) opened its doors in 1855 and was the first of its kind in the Indian Ocean. The museum houses fascinating exhibits of the region's creatures, from shells to rare birds and mammals, as well as books and engravings. In 1945 and 1948, cyclones destroyed much of the museum's collection and it was forced to close its doors for several years, but today it boasts roughly 42,000 specimens. The museum is within the State Gardens (Jardin de l'Etat) - a beautiful botanical garden home to roughly 50 species of trees from around the world and numerous beautiful plants, ponds and walkways. A particular favourite in the gardens are the flowering lotus plants.

Musée Léon Dierx

The Musée Léon Dierx houses an impressive collection of Modern Art, with works by some of the great masters of the genre such as Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso, Vlaminck and Morisot. Much of the collection was once that of the French art dealer, Réunion-born Ambroise Vollard, and was donated to the museum by Vollard's brother, Lucien, after Ambroise's death in 1939. The Museum is a must for art lovers, and the curious, alike.