Crime and mysteries: Heritage Days 2026 at the Police Prefecture Museum in Paris

For the 2026 Heritage Days, head to the Musée de la Préfecture de Police in Paris’s 5th arrondissement. Better than in crime dramas, you’ll see real artifacts, meet professionals, and even get to try things out! Family-friendly event on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026.

For the 43rd edition of the Heritage Days, we’re heading to a place unlike any other: the Police Prefecture Museum. Often overlooked by the general public, this museum is nonetheless a treasure for anyone who loves police investigations.

Located in the Hôtel de Police in the 5th arrondissement, this museum, founded in 1909 by Prefect Louis Lépine, traces the history of the Paris police from the 17th century to the present day. More than 2,000 works of art retrace the history of the police and highlight the different professions and missions of the Prefecture de Police, from investigators to forensic scientists. A retrospective of the major criminal cases followed by the Parisian police over the centuries is also on display in the museum: the assassination of Henri IV by Ravaillac in 1610, the Poisons affair, the crimes of Henri-Désiré Landru...

If this adventure tempts you, take advantage of the Heritage Days, held on September 19 and 20, 2026, to explore for free this quirky museum and put your investigative skills to the test...

The program for the 2026 Heritage Days at the Paris Police Prefecture Museum:

Dive into the mysteries of forensic science!
Step behind the scenes of the forensic science police (PTS). The CSI craze of the 2000s catapulted the PTS into the limelight, sparking curiosity and fascination, even though to most people these professions remain something of a mystery. Equipped with their tool kits, PTS technicians bring crime scenes to life and play a crucial role in uncovering the truth. Today, new methods enable a sharper, more thorough analysis of traces and clues. To get a clearer picture of today’s PTS, join our speaker—a former crime-scene technician with the Paris Judicial Identification unit—for a series of 30-minute talks on the morning of Saturday the 19th and the afternoon of Sunday the 20th of September.
Participation conditions: Free of charge, no reservation needed, subject to availability. 30-minute talks from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday the 19th and from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 20. - Free | No reservation
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 - 10:30 ⤏ 13:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 14:30 ⤏ 17:30
A guided tour of the exhibition "Prefect Lépine's Belle Époque?"
The Police Prefectural Museum's temporary exhibit has been extended through September 20. Created in partnership with the Criminocorpus association and historian Pierre Piazza, the show centers on Police Prefect Louis Lépine (1846-1933) and unfolds across some fifteen themes (the Mona Lisa theft, the Seine flood, the separation of church and state, etc.). For the first time, a rich collection of more than 150 postcards is on display, accompanied by original period-era objects.
Participation requirements: Free, advance reservations required, limited to 25 attendees - Free | Reservations required - museedelaprefecturedepolice@interieur.gouv.fr, 0144415250, https://www.smartagenda.fr/pro/prefecture-de-police-musee/rendez-vous/
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00 to 12:00, 15:00 to 16:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00 to 12:00, 15:00 to 16:00
An autopsy of a judicial investigation by the Criminal Brigade
A former commander of the Paris Criminal Brigade will walk you through how a judicial investigation unfolds, drawing on landmark cases from the 1980s to the present.
Participation conditions: Free entry, reservation required - Free | Reservation required - https://www.smartagenda.fr/pro/prefecture-de-police-musee/rendez-vous/, museedelaprefecturedepolice@interieur.gouv.fr, 01 44 41 52 50
Hours: Saturday, 19 September 2026 — 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Sunday, 20 September 2026 — 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Museum crime: Can you crack the case?
Three women walked into the police station to reach the museum, handing over their ID cards. A fourth followed, without presenting hers. The next day, the museum director arrives to find the lifeless body of one of them in the technical and scientific police room, near the chairs, with a Browning 1900 pistol resting on one of the seats. On the floor lie her glasses and a broken heel.

Who is this young woman? What could have happened to her? A murder? But then who and why? A suicide?

This child-friendly investigation is built around teaching the techniques for identifying victims and suspects, while recounting the history and evolution of forensic science.
Participation conditions: Free, reservations required - Free | Reservations required - 0144415250, museedelaprefecturedepolice@interieur.gouv.fr, https://www.smartagenda.fr/pro/prefecture-de-police-musee/rendez-vous/
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 16:45 ⤏ 17:45 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 16:45 ⤏ 17:45

Here's a lovely idea for a family outing, that should especially appeal to your teens aged 13 and up. A quirky activity to add a bit of spice to these Heritage Days 2026. And the great deal is that it's free, of course!