At the end of the Tuileries Gardens, parallel to the Musée de l'Orangerie, stands a long building constructed under Napoleon III in 1862. This hall was originally dedicated to jeu de paume, the forerunner of tennis. It became a museum in 1909, changing its identity regularly over the last century.
The Jeu de Paume, overlooking the Place de la Concorde in Paris, is today an art center dedicated to photography and images from the 19th century to the present day. The museum regularly organizes exhibitions and meetings, showcasing the work of contemporary creators and great artists from past decades.
In the early 20th century, the Jeu de Paume was used as an art gallery for exhibitions by the Louvre and the Musée de l'Orangerie. During the First World War, the site was transformed into a ration-ticket distribution service. Between the wars, it served as an annex to the Musée du Luxembourg, before once again suffering the torments of history: the Nazis used it as a warehouse for works of art looted by the German army.
It wasn't until 2004 that the Jeu de Paume really found its own identity and mission. Under the impetus of Jean-Jacques Aillagon, French Minister of Culture and Communication, it became a new museum dedicated to images from the 19th to the 21st centuries. The art center is the result of a merger between the Galerie du Jeu de Paume, the Centre national de la photographie and Patrimoine photographique.
The Jeu de Paume is open every day except Mondays, January 1, May 1, July 14 and December 25. It offers preferential rates for young people, and even opens its doors free of charge to students and under-25s on the last Tuesday of every month.
The art center features a bookshop focusing on the visual arts and art. There's also a café run by Rose Bakery, and a cinema showing a wide range of art-house films for all ages.
The Jeu de Paume is accessible by public transport, via the Concorde station on metro lines 1, 8 and 12, or by bus. Photography lovers, don't miss this emblematic Paris landmark!
In this setting: contemporary photographer Jo Ractliffe is exhibiting at the Jeu de Paume.
The Jeu de Paume is hosting an exhibition exploring the work of photographer Jo Ractliffe. Visitors can discover her striking images in En ces lieux from January 30 to May 24, 2026. [Read more]
Global Warning: Martin Parr spotlighted in a photo exhibition at Jeu de Paume
Photographer Martin Parr takes a witty jab at our excesses and the destruction of nature in his exhibit Global Warning, now showing at the Jeu de Paume from January 30 to May 24, 2026. [Read more]
Luc Delahaye exhibition at the Jeu de Paume: a major retrospective not to be missed - our photos
From October 10, 2025 to January 25, 2026, the Jeu de Paume presents an exceptional retrospective devoted to photographer and former reporter Luc Delahaye. Some forty monumental works reveal over twenty years of contemporary history, between art, news and documentary photography. [Read more]
Jeu de Paume inaugurates its new art house cinema this autumn
The Jeu de Paume, an artistic center dedicated to photography, launches into the 7th art! The institution unveils its new cinema on November 12, 2024. [Read more]
Free museum: one Tuesday a month, the Jeu de Paume is freely accessible to young people!
When you're young, you don't have much money. But that doesn't stop us from enjoying the museums in Paris: the last Tuesday of each month, you can visit the Jeu de Paume for free! [Read more]
Location
Jeu de Paume - Concorde
1, place de la Concorde
75008 Paris 8
Prices
Cinéma: €5 - €11
Expositions: €7.5 - €13
Official website
jeudepaume.org
