Free exhibitions in Geneve

Jean-Jacques Rousseau devoted his last years to an unknown passion: the meticulous study of plants. The Geneva Botanic Garden presents a jewel from its heritage, a collection of dried plants shaped by the philosopher over two centuries ago. Through these fragile sheets, we perceive a quest for absolute truth, where herbarium becomes a remedy against the pangs of the spirit. The exhibition perfectly illustrates this inextricable link between scientific rigor and solitary contemplation. Far from being simple archives, these specimens tell the intimate story of a man seeking in the sap and petals a form of pure authenticity. The route also incites visitors to rediscover this ancient practice by creating their own botanical compositions. This face-to-face with Rousseau's thought is accessible from February 18th to December 23rd, 2026.