For the 21st Nuit des Musées, on Saturday May 17, 2025, we're heading for the Service historique de la Défense (SHD), in Vincennes, to discover this mecca of military symbolism, inviting you in particular to explore its library, where all the archives of the ministries in charge of military affairs since their creation are kept.
A truly specialized library, one of the richest in France, in charge of approving, listing and collecting elements of military symbolism (including emblems and insignia), and thus contributing to works relating to the history of Defense. In all, almost a million works, including 450 km of archives dating back to the 17th century, are also preserved, representing part of the nation's memory.
In addition to conservation, the archives are also an organization dedicated to historical research, and have been structured in an original way, characterized by the attention paid to contemporary archives, which are given as much prominence as older archives. A historical service created in 2005, bringing together the former army historical services. Today, it reports to the Director of Heritage, Memory and Archives (DPMA), one of the departments of the General Secretariat for Administration of the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
Dates and Opening Time
On May 17, 2025
Location
Service historique de la Défense
Avenue de Paris
94300 Vincennes
Access
Metro line 1 "Château de Vincennes" station
Prices
Free
Official website
www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr
