The Journées du Patrimoine 2025 give us the opportunity to visit places that are usually closed to the public, such as ministries, backstage at major theaters... Or France's iconic grandes écoles! And theÉcole Polytechnique is one of them. "L'X" is opening its doors on Saturday September 20 and Sunday September 21, to let us discover its heritage and history, a legacy of the French Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment.
Founded in Palaiseau in 1794 as the "École centrale des travaux publics" to address the shortage of engineers and senior managers in France, theÉcole polytechnique has trained many engineers and military personnel over more than 220 years. Famous graduates include Henri Poincaré (mathematician), Henri Becquerel (physicist), Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Jean Tirole (economist) and André Citroën (industrialist).
Since 2018, MUS' X has presented the collections of scientific instruments acquired by the École Polytechnique since its creation in 1794. These include the first two devices to measure the speed of light, one of the first X-ray machines, the first electrical machines, and the first airplane speedometer. Some of the instruments are listed as historical monuments! You can discover all these treasures during the Heritage Days weekend.
The École polytechnique, where students live: a tour of the central hall (lecture halls, classrooms, etc.) and the campus. Created by Henri Pottier - winner of the Prix de Rome - the École polytechnique campus is marked by the architecture of the 1960s, but has changed considerably with the development of the Saclay plateau.
You will be guided by students.
4 tour times: 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm
Last departure at 5:00 pm.
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*Meet at the Ecole Polytechnique reception desk.
Visitor parking: avenue Descartes, Palaiseau,
then walk to Place Gustave Ferrié, Palaiseau.
*Pre-registration required via the registration form (online from August 2025).
https://events.polytechnique.fr/evenementiel/journee-europeenne-patrimoine
The permanent exhibition of the Ecole polytechnique museum (Mus'X): the museum presents both the history of science and the history of the Ecole polytechnique, in a building designed by Prix de Rome architect Henri Pottier.
You'll discover the first devices for measuring the speed of light, the first airplane speedometer, and instruments that have marked the history of science and technology: microscopes, X-ray machines, electrostatic machines...
You'll be guided by students from the École polytechnique.
4 tour times: 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm
Last departure at 5:00 p.m.
*******************************************************************
*Meet at the Ecole polytechnique reception desk.
Visitor parking: avenue Descartes, Palaiseau,
then on foot to Place Gustave Ferrié, Palaiseau.
*Pre-registration required via the registration form (online from August 2025).
https://events.polytechnique.fr/evenementiel/journee-europeenne-patrimoine
Dates and Opening Time
From September 20, 2025 to September 21, 2025
Location
École Polytechnique
Route de Saclay
91120 Palaiseau
Prices
Free
Official website
www.polytechnique.edu
