As part of the Journées du Patrimoine 2025, we're invited to discover the museum and gardens of the Domaine départemental de Sceaux . For an entire weekend, on September 20 and 21, 2025, the estate will be opening its doors to the public free of charge, to enable us to discover the treasures hidden in this historic monument.
Between the museum, home to true masterpieces, and the Parc de Sceaux, designed in the 17th century by Le Nôtre, you'll have plenty of wonderful experiences. These gardens are jewels of French garden design. Two main axes run through it, from east to west: the allée d'honneur, the parterre du château and the terrasse des Pintades, and from north to south: the cascade and the Bassin de l'Octogone.
While the park has preserved structures dating back to the 17th century, such as the Grand Canal, the Pavillon de l'Aurore and the Bassin de l'Octogone, Colbert's château, demolished around 1803, was replaced by a neo-Louis XIII-style château, built between 1856 and 1862 by architect Le Soufaché. Parterres de broderies (embroidered flowerbeds) with wild, landscaped or even forested atmospheres.
Musée départemental, former stables
This demonstration highlights two operations undertaken by the museum over the last few years: the recoiling of works in the collection and their packaging. These operations are being carried out as part of the second ten-yearly recolement, a compulsory project for museums awarded the "Musée de France" label by the French Ministry of Culture. The recolement allows us to review, individually, all of the 15,000 or so works that make up the museum's collection. In addition to legal verification operations, the second recolement led to the rediscovery and study of previously little-known works, the most curious and beautiful of which feature prominently in the exhibition "Trésors et coulisses du Château de Sceaux".
Several sessions take place between 2pm and 6.30pm.
Discover the richness and variety of the works in the Château de Sceaux collection, as well as the behind-the-scenes workings of a museum! Some objects, unknown to the public because they are kept in storage due to their fragility, are shown for the very first time.
The first part of the exhibition is devoted to the gradual construction of the collection, and the technical and indispensable operations involved, such as keeping the inventory.
The second part presents the museum's treasures in the strictest sense of the word, with a selection of major works, as well as unsuspected objects.
The exhibition concludes with a presentation of conservation issues. Two areas are also devoted to the conditioning of works and the preparation of an exhibition.
Mediators will be on hand throughout the exhibition to help you discover the Château's treasures and answer any questions you may have.
Please note that the building does not have a toilet for disabled visitors.
Pavillon de l'Aurore
Discover the timeless elegance of Domaine de Sceaux, the département's park and museum!
The pavilion's cupola houses a vast allegorical painting on the theme of the Aurora, composed by Charles Le Brun in 1672.
Take advantage of your visit to discover the Château's collections, which evoke the history of the site and the French art of living, from Louis XIV to Napoleon III: paintings, sculptures, furniture, drawings, prints, manuscripts, books and ceramics...
Mediators will be on hand to answer all your questions!
Departmental Museum
Discover the timeless elegance of Domaine de Sceaux, the département's park and museum!
The Château presents collections evoking the history of the site and the French art of living, from Louis XIV to Napoleon III: paintings, sculptures, furniture, drawings, prints, manuscripts, books and ceramics...
Take advantage of your visit to discover the Pavillon de l'Aurore, which houses a vast allegorical painting composed by Charles Le Brun in 1672.
Throughout the rooms, our mediators will present the museum's masterpieces and answer all your questions!
Pavillon de préfiguration du musée du Grand Siècle
Discover the collections of the prefiguration pavilion of the Musée du Grand Siècle. The Musée du Grand Siècle teams will be on hand to answer your questions.
Discovering the Grand Siècle: presentation of the collections, which evoke power, lifestyle, faith, society, the arts and sciences in 17th-century France.
Founded in 1998, Les Lames sur Seine is an association of swordsmen specialized in artistic fencing. This year, the association is taking over the courtyard of the Petit Château to show you the weapons used in the 17th century, and practice duels and salutes of Grand Siècle fencing before your very eyes.
Come and discover the techniques used to manage and conserve works of art, in the company of staff from the Musée du Grand Siècle.
A great way to spend this special weekend in the Hauts-de-Seine! Shall we go, friends?
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Dates and Opening Time
From September 20, 2025 to September 21, 2025
Location
Château de Sceaux
92330 Sceaux
Prices
Free
Official website
domaine-de-sceaux.hauts-de-seine.fr
