NounOURS Exhibition – Peluchology

A version updated by the team of mediators from the Peluchologie project. The exhibition invites visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in the world of teddy bears through both a scientific and historical lens.

Organized by the Émile Zola Media Library as part of the partnership between Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole (3M) and the University of Montpellier, which holds the “Science with and for Society” (SAPS) designation.

An exhibition that offers a journey into the world of bears 

The bear is a mythical animal to which humans have always attached great importance. The subject of legends, feared or revered, glorified or demonized, the bear is deeply rooted in the symbolism of our Western societies.

Designed by the University’s Science and Culture Department, this traveling exhibition pays tribute—from prehistory to the teddy bear—to the former king of the animals. It is organized around three themes:

• Bears in the Wild: A selection of artifacts and skeletal specimens that showcase the great diversity of bears, past and present;
• Bears in Literature: a rich collection of works that explore the various portrayals of this animal in Western culture (children’s picture books, novels, comic books, classic texts, etc.);
• Teddy Bears: A collection of teddy bears in all shapes and colors to help you learn about the scientific process of classification and becomea "teddy bearologist."