Musée Carnavalet, Paris's oldest museum dedicated to the capital's history

For several years, the Musée Carnavalet, a museum dedicated to the history of Paris and located in the heart of the Marais district, has been undergoing renovation work. It's one of the oldest museums in Paris, having been founded in 1880! Its collection of over 610,000 items traces thehistory of the capital, from Antiquity to the 20th century. And these historical treasures can be discovered on an XXL journey through time, highlighted by beautiful scenography.

But what can we expect? Comprising two private mansions, the Hôtel Carnavalet and the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau, the Musée Carnavalet offers not only a 3,900m2 exhibition space - with 3,800 works on display- but also areas dedicated to events and catering.

We warn you, you'd better bring your best sneakers to explore this museum: the route stretches over 1.5km and is structured in chronological order, with immersive scenography, thanks in particular to reconstructed settings.

Your visit begins at theHôtel Carnavalet and goes back long before Paris was Paris, or even Lutetia. The adventure begins in prehistoric times, when people still navigated the Seine in pirogues, and we discover where the very first Parisians settled. Then we cross the centuries and literally see the capital being built before our very eyes.

If you thought you knew everything about Paris and its history, this museum is sure to surprise you with some little-known facts and anecdotes. The evolution of the capital is deciphered from every angle, from its architectural transformation and customs to its art of living, politics, art and religion.

You'll even be surprised to discover familiar works, iconic sculptures of the Parisian landscape. Then you'll learn that the ones you used to walk past are actually replicas: the originals are kept at the Musée Carnavalet. But we won't tell you more, to preserve the surprises!

The first part of the tour stops at the dawn of the French Revolution. Your journey through time continues at the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau. Here, you can relive the Revolution that marked a turning point in French history. Here, you'll discover the world's largest collection dedicated to the French Revolution, and these pieces tell the story of this historic event down to the smallest detail. Even Louis XVI's last order!

The Museum's rich collection also allows us to dissect and understand a famous Parisian uprising: the Paris Commune. This revolt, which took place more than 150 years ago, seems not so long ago.

On the other hand, the Musée Carnavalet shows us the evolution of the Parisian art of living, on the one hand through fashions, such as the fascination with hot-air balloons, and on the other hand through the intimacy of the capital's inhabitants, with the evolution of apartment decorations and fittings.

Through objects and works depicting everyday scenes, we discover a more peaceful and festive aspect of the capital. In fact, contrary to what you might think, the filters found on Instagram and Snapchat today are nothing new!

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We continue to move through the ages until time catches up with us. Little by little, more and more familiar rooms take you back to events you experienced yourself, whatever your age. So for Parisians, it's no longer history you're exploring, but your own past. The idea is clear: history is being written today.

Practical information :

Opening hours:
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Halls close at 5:45 p.m.
Halls close at 5 p.m. on December 24 and 31

Public holidays: the museum is closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25.

Admission :
Free admission for permanent exhibitions
Variable rates for temporary exhibitions

Access:
Metro:
line 1: Stop Saint-Paul
line 5: Stop Bréguet Sabin
line 7: Stop Pont-Marie
line 8: Stop Chemin Vert

Bus:
lines 96 (Place des Vosges), 91 (Saint-Gilles - Chemin Vert), 29 (Place des Vosges), 69 (Saint-Paul), 76 (Saint-Paul)

Vélib' stations:
Station no. 3002 Saint-Gilles - Turenne
Station no. 4010 Saint-Antoine - Sévigné

News from the Musée Carnavalet :

Madame de Sévigné, Parisian Letters: A Unique Exhibition at the Carnavalet Museum
The Carnavalet Museum pays tribute to Madame de Sévigné with an engaging exhibition full of surprises, running from April 15 to August 23, 2026. [Read more]

Les gens de Paris, 1926-1936: the historical exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet is unveiled
What if you could find your great-grandparents in the streets of Paris? The exhibition Les Gens de Paris 1926-1936 at the Musée Carnavalet delves into unpublished census records to reveal the Parisians of the interwar period. From October 8, 2025 to February 8, 2026. [Read more]

Lovely terrace restaurant set up permanently in the gardens of the Musée Carnavalet
Fabula is dead, replaced by Joli, the now-permanent terrace restaurant at the Musée Carnavalet in Paris. An interlude in a magnificent historic and bucolic setting, but lacking in personality on the plate, all at a truly excessive price. [Read more]