The Muséum de Besançon is one of the three museums located inside the Citadelle, the military fortress overlooking Besançon built at the behest of the Sun King and today protected as a World Heritage Site. It is a science and natural history museum that deals with studying, disseminating, conserving and enhancing the scientific and natural heritage and the conservation of species and their environment.

The natural history collections contain over a million objects, including an exceptional naturalized fund, making the museum a precious witness and a key to understanding biodiversity. The museum also features a zoological park, renowned for its involvement in projects for the conservation of local species, such as crayfish, or international such as lemurs, carried out in collaboration with professionals and scientists in the field of wildlife. Its zootechnical skills in the breeding and reproduction of rare and endangered species are internationally recognized.