The Musée de la Gendarmerie Nationale opens its doors for the 42nd edition of the Journées du Patrimoine. A festive weekend for the curious, with a free visit and many other activities, to be discovered on September 20 and 21, 2025.
This little-known museum is located in Melun, in the department of Seine-et-Marne. Since 1978, the museum's mission has been to share with the public the history of the French national gendarmerie: its missions, the daily lives of officers, the evolution of the gendarmerie...
Over two floors, some 2,000 objects are on display, including 44 mannequins giving an overview of the evolution of the gendarme's uniform and equipment. But that's not all! The museum's collections also include documents, photographs and many different objects, from the 18th-century musket of the Maréchaussée des Monnaies to the latest high-tech weapon of the GIGN, not to mention the vehicles used by the gendarmerie. In a chronological tour, you'll learn more about this institution, its history and its particularities.
Temporary exhibitions are also regularly organized, highlighting different trades or periods in history. The museum fascinates children and parents alike, especially when special events are planned, such as the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days)...
To mark the "Les Enfants du Patrimoine" event, the Musée de la Gendarmerie Nationale is offering four original guided tours of its building. Students will be guided through the architectural history of the site, from its former military function to its transformation into a museum.
A fascinating dive into a place steeped in memory.
Immerse yourself in the history of the gendarmerie with a guided tour of the museum. Uniforms, objects, archive documents and emblematic stories will help you discover the evolution of this institution at the service of society, from the Ancien Régime to the present day. A unique opportunity to understand the missions, values and daily life of the gendarmes through the centuries.
Designed for history buffs, researchers and the curious, these "expert" guided tours offer an in-depth exploration of the museum's collections. Through a detailed approach to objects, rare documents and institutional developments, discover the many facets of the national gendarmerie, its role in the major transformations of the State and society, and the contemporary challenges facing this republican institution. A complete immersion, rich in content, to better understand the complexity and continuity of this security force.
This workshop, which is currently being tested, offers an unprecedented insight into conditioning and preventive conservation practices: how do we protect objects so that they can be passed on to future generations?
Participants, limited to 10 people, will be fully involved in the construction of the workshop. This special session will include a short visit to the museum, illustrated by a case study of a conserved object.
Registration by e-mail: musee@gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr
Halfway between the public sphere and private space, the barracks is a singular place, both a workplace and a home. This conference takes an aesthetic approach to this special place, examining the way in which gendarmes appropriate this hybrid space. What strategies do they put in place to cope with an environment that is both professional and personal?
Moderated by Lieutenant-Colonel Sylvie CLEMENT, Head of the Sociology-Demography Section, Equality and Diversity Referent at the French National Gendarmerie Headquarters.
Its history is at once little-known, fascinating and incredible. Hosted by Colonel (R) Mazella, who worked on the monument's renovation a few years ago, and Major Luc Demarconnay, Human Resources Editor at the French Gendarmerie's General Directorate.
Located in the 4ᵉ arrondissement of Paris, the Célestins district has been the emblematic headquarters of the Republican Guard for over a century. This talk offers an aesthetic reading of this place that is both public and private, exploring its architecture, its symbolic function and the modes of appropriation of the gendarmes who live and work there.
Hosted by Hanna Trabelsi, reservist with the Garde républicaine
So, shall we go?
Dates and Opening Time
From September 20, 2025 to September 21, 2025
Location
National Gendarmerie Museum
1-3 Rue Emile Leclerc
77000 Melun
Prices
Free
Official website
www.gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr
