Located right next to the Institut de France, in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, is the Roger-Viollet gallery. With its walls full of green archive boxes, the gallery brings to life the photographic collection of the agency founded by Hélène Roger-Viollet. Bequeathed to the City of Paris, this collection has been on display at the gallery since 2020.
Founded in 1938, this agency has sent hundreds of photographers to the four corners of the globe, to immortalize landscapes, people, cultures and moments in life. Today, the collection includes more than six million shots on a variety of themes. Paris and its neighborhoods, the seaside, the regions of France, monuments, French and international artists, cars, sports, animals, North Africa...
This wide-ranging collection spans several decades of activity, and includes works by renowned photographers such as Eugène Atget, Alain Adler, Gaston Paris, Léon & Lévy... Photographic treasures hide in these green boxes, which decorate the gallery walls.
The Roger-Viollet Gallery regularly organizes thematic temporary exhibitions to showcase these exceptional images. Prints can also be consulted on site, on request.
The gallery and its exhibitions are open free of charge from Tuesday to Saturday. To get to the gallery, take line 7 (Pont-Neuf stop) or line 1 (Louvre-Rivoli stop), and cross the Pont des Arts towards theInstitut de France.
The world brought to life in vibrant hues: classic photographs displayed at the Roger-Viollet Gallery
The Roger-Viollet Gallery unveils a curated selection of 19th-century photographs, hand-colored to enhance their detail, in a free exhibition running from February 26 to June 6, 2026. [Read more]
Dates and Opening Time
From March 6, 2026 to December 31, 2027
Location
Roger-Viollet Gallery
6 Rue de Seine
75006 Paris 6
Official website
www.galerie-roger-viollet.fr
