The arching 19th-century iron and glass-roofed building may impress, but that’s immediately trumped by a taxidermy parade of African animals—baboons, giraffes, rhinos, snakes, and elephants making their way across the first floor. Good luck getting your kids away from that (although there’s a 20-foot-long giant squid that might do the trick). Concepts of diversity, man’s impact on the environment, and evolution are made manifest with the 7,000 species on show, including endangered and extinct ones like Gabonese monkeys, Sumatran tigers, and the obligatory model of a dodo bird. Afterward, head outside to the sprawling Jardin des Plantes to roam (them) or relax (you).