The library of the Geneva Botanical Garden in Chambésy is exhibiting Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s herbarium until Wednesday 23 December 2026. The free exhibition “Jamais la nature ne nous trompe” tells the story of this portable herbarium.
The story
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), the Genevan philosopher and writer, devoted the last ten years of his life to portable herbaria. He gave or sold them to people who shared his interest in botany.
The herbarium on show was made in the 1770s for the printer and bookseller Charles-Joseph Panckoucke (1736-1798). The Botanical Garden bought it at auction in Paris in June 2024. Three copies in Rousseau’s own hand are known, and this is one of them.
Who organises it
The exhibition is presented by the Conservatory and Botanical Garden of Geneva. It opened in February 2026.
What to find
Sheets from the herbarium and its catalogue are displayed in the library’s showcases. Botanical works and notes explain the context in which they were made.
An extract from the Fifth Walk of “Les Rêveries du promeneur solitaire”, read by Johanna Grossfeld, recalls Rousseau’s stay on St Peter’s Island, on Lake Biel. A touchscreen gives access to interviews with scientists and artists.
The herbarium’s 99 specimens have been digitised. They can be viewed online in the City of Geneva’s collections catalogue.
The workshop “Créez votre carte de vœux végétale” accompanies the exhibition from 25 November to 23 December 2026. The guided tour on 18 November 2026 is fully booked.
Practical information
- Dates: until Wednesday 23 December 2026
- Times: Monday, 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 am to 12 noon and 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm; Wednesday, 10 am to 4.30 pm
- Venue: library of the Geneva Botanical Garden, chemin de l’Impératrice 1, 1292 Chambésy
- Price, free
- Age, all ages
Links
- Official site, Geneva Botanical Garden, “Jamais la nature ne nous trompe”
- All events across French-speaking Switzerland, Genève Infos Agenda
Sources
- Geneva Botanical Garden, “Jamais la nature ne nous trompe”, accessed 13 November 2026
- Geneva Tourism, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s herbarium, accessed 13 November 2026
Let’s share Romandy’s news
We build the news together.
An idea, an opinion, a wish, a detail to add? Tell us!
