It was in the 16th century, during the Renaissance, that the first cabinets of curiosities saw the light of day in Europe. At that time, they designated places where rare, exotic and even strange objects were stored and collected. Their goal: to better understand and discover the world through pieces that have no or no longer any use. These objects are classified into two categories: works of nature : mineral (fossils, precious stones, etc.), animal (shells, horns, insects and stuffed animals) and plant (singular flowers and plants) and the creations of man : paintings, sculptures, antiques, scientific instruments... Displayed and classified in a piece of furniture called a cabinet, these collections of curiosities are considered the ancestors of natural history museums.