Heritage Days: history, origins and dates 2024 of this cultural event

Published by Caroline de Sortiraparis, Cécile de Sortiraparis · Photos by My de Sortiraparis · Published on September 28th, 2023 at 03:00 p.m.
The European Heritage Days return on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22, 2024, with a new theme. Although the cultural event is celebrating its 41st edition this year, few people actually know the origins of this essential back-to-school event. We'd like to tell you about the history of the Journées du Patrimoine, created in 1984 by the French Ministry of Culture.

Held every year on the third weekend of September, the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) take place on Saturday September 21 and Sunday September 22, 2024, not only in the Paris region, but also elsewhere in France. For two days only, this cultural event delights the curious, eager to push open the doors of major institutions, châteaux and museums, as well as more unusual and even hidden places. But do you know the history and origins of the European Heritage Days? We'll tell you.

The event was launched for the very first time in France on September 23, 1984, under the impetus of the Ministry of Culture led by Jack Lang. At the time, the event was organized for a single day under the name of "Open House Day in Historic Monuments ". The objective was already well defined: to show the general public the incredible wealth of France's heritage through a series of original events, unusual visits and exceptional openings.

By 1985, just one year after its launch, the day had grown to become a European event, under the impetus of the Council of Europe. In 1992, " Open House Day at Historic Monuments " was renamed " National Heritage Days ", and was held over several days.

But it wasn't until 2000 that the name was finally changed to European Heritage Days(JEP). And while in 1993, 34 European countries took part in the event, this figure rose to 40 in 2000, making the European Heritage Days one of the first major international cultural events! By 2010, 50 countries around the world were organizing the event.

And every year, a national theme is highlighted. The theme varies from country to country, but all share a common watchword: highlighting the European dimension. The theme for 2024 is not yet known. Last year, two themes were chosen: the 40th edition focused on " living heritage " and " sports heritage ". An opportunity to rediscover ancestral traditions and know-how, and to highlight the reuse of materials.

Find out more about the program for the Journées du Patrimoine 2024 in Paris and the Île-de-France region:

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Practical information

Dates and Opening Time
From September 21th, 2024 to September 22th, 2024

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    Official website
    journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr

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