Traveling exhibition Cats and Dogs: a sensory immersion into the animal world
Cats and dogs have been part of our daily lives for thousands of years… but how well do we really know them?
With over 60 million companion animals in France alone, the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition offers a playful, sensory journey to better understand their morphology, intelligence, behaviors, and their place in our society.
Created by the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie, the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition is designed for children from age 6, school groups and families. Available in two formats (300 or 600 m²), it is fully accessible to all audiences, including visitors with disabilities.
Presented from February 2025 to June 2026 at the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie in Paris.
What does the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition offer visitors?
The Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition invites visitors to see their favorite pets in a new light. Drawing on the latest research in ethology—the science of animal behavior—it highlights the sensitivity, intelligence, and incredible physical and sensory abilities of dogs and cats.
- A fully immersive experience into their world
- A fun and sensory-based scenography
- Hands-on interactive experiences
- Games, videos, illustrations, and tactile objects
- A unique blend of scientific, cultural and societal content
Throughout the exhibition, visitors are invited to step into the paws of a dog or a cat: to run, smell, jump, listen… and gain insight into how animals experience the world around them.
How is the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition structured?
The Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition is built around three thematic spaces, each one immersive and interactive:
Morphology, speed, agility, breed diversity… Visitors compare their own physical performance with that of dogs and cats (slalom challenge, jump buzzer, size comparison). They discover the huge diversity of dog breeds (343 recognized breeds) and feline coats (72 cat breeds), while exploring the history of domestication.
Communication, emotions, cognition… In a space built to animal scale, visitors explore how dogs and cats perceive and react to the world. They learn to:
- Understand chemical communication (scent marking)
- Challenge common myths (true or false)
- Decode behaviors and emotions
- Explore the role of the brain and senses
Immersive activities help visitors perceive the world as animals do.
Companions, cultural icons, therapy partners… This final section examines how our relationships with cats and dogs have evolved over the centuries:
- Their roles in mythology, art and popular culture
- Changes in status across time and civilizations
- The emergence of animal-assisted therapy and emotional support roles
Why host the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition at your venue?
The Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition is both a public success and a scientific achievement. With over 3 million visitors worldwide, it appeals to all generations. Its strengths include:
- A universal, family-friendly theme
- Accessibility for all audiences
- Strong links with educational curricula (biology, society, environment)
- A turnkey exhibition, adaptable to different spaces and contexts
Testimonial: “An intelligent, lively, and engaging exhibition where children learn without even realizing it.”
Who has already hosted the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition?
Over the past 10 years, with more than 3 million visitors, the exhibition has been presented in more than 20 institutions across 6 countries: France, Canada, Québec, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Austria.
Some key venues include:
- Cité des sciences et de l’industrie, Paris
- Musée de la Civilisation, Québec (540,000 visitors)
- California State Fair, USA (652,000+ visitors)
- Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna
- Horniman Museum & Gardens, London
- …
Join a growing network of museums and science centers who trust the quality, flexibility, and appeal of the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition.
An internationally acclaimed exhibition
Since its launch in 2015, the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition has attracted over 3 million visitors around the globe. Presented in 20+ cultural venues across 6 countries, including France, Canada, Québec, the USA, the UK, and Austria, it continues to captivate audiences of all ages.
From the California State Fair to the Musée de la Civilisation, from the Telus World of Science to the Horniman Museum, the exhibition has proven to be a crowd favorite wherever it goes—thanks to its playful format, rich content, and international appeal.
In short: an exhibition with bite (and purrs)!
More than just a display about pets, the Cats and Dogs traveling exhibition offers a deeply immersive experience at the crossroads of science, fun, and emotion.
It provides a unique opportunity to rediscover our closest animal companions—and to look at them with new eyes
- Compare your speed in the slalom course to that of dogs
- Test your knowledge of dogs and cats
- Experience what it’s like in the skin of a dog or cat
- Interpret their body language to grasp their feelings and motives
- Explore the evolution of the bonds between cats,dogs and humans.
- 2015 – 2016 - Paris, Cité des sciences et de l’industrie: 154 564 visitors
- 2016 – 2017 - Toulouse, Muséum d’histoire naturelle: 77 915 visitors
- 2016 – 2017 - Québec, Musée de la Civilisation: 540 000 visitors
- 2017 - 2018 - Vienna, Naturhistorisches Museum: 402 279 visitors
- 2018 - Halifax, Discovery Centre: 37 896 visitors
- 2018 - Kalamazoo, Valley Museum: 44 533 visitors
- 2018 - 2019 - Lisbon, Pavilhao do Conhecimento: 217 013 visitors
- 2019 - Virginia Aquarium Center: 443 670 visitors
- 2019 - 2020 - Vancouver, Telus World of Science: 216 712 visitors
- 2019 - 2020 - Rennes, Espace des sciences: 33 450 visitors
- 2020 - 2021 - Bordeaux, Cap Sciences: 17 795 visitors
- 2022 - London, Horniman Museum & Gardens: 27 000 visitors
- 2022 - California Exposition and State Fair: 652 873 visitors
- 2022 - 2023 - Greensboro Science Center, North Carolina
- 2022 - 2023 - Croissy-sur-Seine, Château Chanorier: 4 278 visitors
- 2023 - Turtle Bay Exploration Park, California: 34 881 visitors
- 2023 - Science Center of Iowa, Des Moines
- 2024 - Science Spectrum, Lubbock, Texas