Le Jardin des Plantes médicinales commonly known as the Jardin des Plantes de Paris, is a public botanic garden. It was established by Guy de La Brosse, by Royal Edict and ratified by parliament in July of the same year (1626).The Gardens were opened in 1634, but the official opening by Guy de La Brosse was six years later in 1640. Le Comte de Buffon (George Louis Leclerc) a very famous naturalist and botanist was associated with the gardens. In 1739 he was named “Superintendant of the King’s Garden” the post he occupied until his death in 1788. Not until the French Revolution, was the King’s Garden (Jardin du Roi) renamed, becoming Le Jardin des Plantes de Paris. Five years later, in 1793, the building used for scientific research was also renamed and became the Natural History Museum (le Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle) . The French Revolution caused many things to change for the Garden. In 1798 the “Assemblée Constituante” referring to official texts by the scientists and intellectuals, decided that thereafter the Garden would be managed uniquely by the French Republic. Today, there are several large glass houses for you to explore: a Winter-garden, Greenhouses dedicated to Mexico, Australia and New Caledonia, a Paleobotanic glasshouse tracing the development of plant life on earth over a period of 430 million years. As you visit the Garden you may also wander through the Rose garden, the Ecology garden and the School of Botany. As you visit, you will see small plaques on some of the park benches. These date from 2009 when an initiative was developed to « sponsor-a-bench” (a similar initiative was set up at this time in Central Park in New York). Enjoy your visit!!