Plants at Versailles: 400 years of shared science
Plant sciences for everyone: a collaborative project led by the IJPB Outreach Group
Designed as a programme aimed at opening plant sciences to a wide range of audiences (school groups, families, heritage visitors, the general public and international partners), this collaborative project, led by the IJPB’s Outreach Group, is based on a long-standing collaboration with the Palace of Versailles and the King's Kitchen Garden, which are committed to jointly developing outreach initiatives centred on plant sciences.
The year 2026 marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie, a leading figure in plant experimentation and director of Louis XIV’s royal orchards and kitchen gardens. To mark this occasion, a programme structured around four complementary initiatives is being rolled out.
1. "The Roots of Colour" – ACTE project
In partnership with the Collège Mozart in Bois d’Arcy and the Palace of Versailles, this artistic and scientific project explores the links between plant sciences, artistic creation and heritage. In particular, it examines the uses of plant pigments and oils, as well as their impact on the conservation of heritage works, through a process of experimentation and artistic practice.
2. A presentation to the FAO
The project included a presentation to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), which took the form of a talk and discussion with an international committee based on an FAO article devoted to the history of plant sciences at Versailles. This meeting provided an opportunity to showcase, at an international level, the scientific heritage of the Versailles site and the research conducted at IJPB in plant sciences.
3. A historical exhibition at the King's Kitchen Garden
An outdoor exhibition, entitled "Versailles: 400 Years of Plant Biology Research", will run from June to October 2026. Organised in partnership with the King's Kitchen Garden, it offers the general public an educational trail tracing the history of plant science through eight portraits of scientists who have made a significant contribution to the field.
4. Immersive workshops for all audiences
Two types of workshop round off the programme:
> "DNA in Motion", presented during the 18th edition of Esprit Jardin (25–26 April 2026)
> "The Kitchen Garden under the microscope’" held in the figuerie of the King's Kitchen Gerden to mark the National Agriculture Days (6–7 June 2026)
These activities invite families and visitors to explore plants through scientific experimentation, microscopic observation and direct interaction with research objects.
This programme highlights how plant sciences, at the core of INRAE and AgroParisTech’s missions, are part of a long history while addressing major contemporary challenges related to food, climate and biodiversity. By combining diverse, participatory formats rooted in the Versailles area, the project "Plants in Versailles: 400 Years of Shared Science" sets out a bold ambition: to make plant sciences accessible and to strengthen the dialogue between research, heritage and society.
In connection with the research developed at the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin for Plant Sciences.
The year 2026 marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie, a leading figure in plant experimentation and director of Louis XIV’s royal orchards and kitchen gardens. To mark this occasion, a programme structured around four complementary initiatives is being rolled out.
1. "The Roots of Colour" – ACTE project
In partnership with the Collège Mozart in Bois d’Arcy and the Palace of Versailles, this artistic and scientific project explores the links between plant sciences, artistic creation and heritage. In particular, it examines the uses of plant pigments and oils, as well as their impact on the conservation of heritage works, through a process of experimentation and artistic practice.
2. A presentation to the FAO
The project included a presentation to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), which took the form of a talk and discussion with an international committee based on an FAO article devoted to the history of plant sciences at Versailles. This meeting provided an opportunity to showcase, at an international level, the scientific heritage of the Versailles site and the research conducted at IJPB in plant sciences.
3. A historical exhibition at the King's Kitchen Garden
An outdoor exhibition, entitled "Versailles: 400 Years of Plant Biology Research", will run from June to October 2026. Organised in partnership with the King's Kitchen Garden, it offers the general public an educational trail tracing the history of plant science through eight portraits of scientists who have made a significant contribution to the field.
4. Immersive workshops for all audiences
Two types of workshop round off the programme:
> "DNA in Motion", presented during the 18th edition of Esprit Jardin (25–26 April 2026)
> "The Kitchen Garden under the microscope’" held in the figuerie of the King's Kitchen Gerden to mark the National Agriculture Days (6–7 June 2026)
These activities invite families and visitors to explore plants through scientific experimentation, microscopic observation and direct interaction with research objects.
This programme highlights how plant sciences, at the core of INRAE and AgroParisTech’s missions, are part of a long history while addressing major contemporary challenges related to food, climate and biodiversity. By combining diverse, participatory formats rooted in the Versailles area, the project "Plants in Versailles: 400 Years of Shared Science" sets out a bold ambition: to make plant sciences accessible and to strengthen the dialogue between research, heritage and society.
In connection with the research developed at the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin for Plant Sciences.
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