How long does it take for a caterpillar to become something other than itself? The Musée des Confluences takes this question literally and, over nearly two years, traces the entire life cycle of the butterfly, from egg to chrysalis and from chrysalis to adult.

The numbers are modest, more than 260 specimens, but it is the accompanying materials that make the journey worthwhile: illustrations, photographs, audiovisual content, and ethnological pieces from the museum's collections. For the butterfly is not just an insect; it is also a symbol, and the cultures that have embraced it have not all assigned it the same role: soul of the dead in some places, omen in others, often a decorative motif.

First, the metamorphosis. Then the symbol. Finally, the threat.

The last part is less lighthearted. Some species are declining, and the museum does not gloss over this. You leave with a new perspective on what happens in a garden in June.

Twenty-two months on display, accessible from age four: this is an exhibition designed to encourage repeat visits, and that's rare enough to be worth mentioning.

MUSÉE DES CONFLUENCES, LYON
From December 18, 2026 to October 22, 2028
86 quai Perrache, 69002 Lyon
Ages 4 and up
Price: €0 to €12