Carnavalet Museum
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Free museum tracing Paris's history from ancient times to present
Free museum tracing Paris's history from ancient times to present
"To understand present day Paris, it’s worth stepping into the past at the Musée Carnavalet, the museum of Parisian history located in the heart of the Marais. Vestiges from old Paris, from furnishings to signage and storefronts, objects (from stained glass to a 6,000 year old canoe discovered in the Seine), artwork and cultural artifacts, take up two grand 17th century buildings that underwent a five-year renovation, reopening in spring 2021. Among the most important features in the museum’s new iteration: greater accessibility for reduced mobility visitors, improved navigability through each space, and a more robust collection—more than half of the pieces on display in the permanent collection were kept in storage prior to the redesign. Tickets to the permanent collection are free and do not require advanced booking." - Lindsey Tramuta, Melissa Liebling-Goldberg
"I soaked up the history of Paris at the riveting Museé Carnavalet, a few blocks away."
"▲▲ Paris' history wrapped up in a 16th-century mansion." - Rick Steves' Europe
Listed as one of the Paris museums participating in Nuit des Musées, this institution is described as opening late into the night and mixing culture, music and light, helping to show how traditional museums are part of the city’s dynamic, after-dark cultural scene. - Liv Kelly
In 2025 this museum will honour legendary filmmaker Agnès Varda with a retrospective rooted in the courtyard of her iconic pink house on Rue Daguerre, a creative sanctuary that birthed countless projects from her 1954 photography exhibition to behind-the-scenes prep for classics like ‘Cléo de 5 à 7’ and ‘Daguerréotypes’. The show promises a mix of 130 rare photographs, film extracts, personal objects and archive materials from Ciné-Tamaris, creating an intimate portrait of Varda’s life and work in Paris. - Rémi Morvan