At the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône, this museum opened in late 2014. Its extraordinary shell, designed by the Austrian firm Coop Himmelb(l)au as a metaphor for knowledge, is made of "Crystal" glass (symbolising the known world) and a huge steel "Cloud" (symbolising the unknown and discovery). Encompassing science, humankind and the arts, the museum tells the story of the Earth since its origins and the evolution of humanity and societies, thanks to collections inherited from some of France's top museums.