Carnavalet Museum

The Carnavalet Museum in Paris is dedicated to the history of this fascinating city, which welcomes about 29 million tourists annually. The museum occupies two neighboring mansions: the Hôtel Carnavalet and the former Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau. On the advice of Baron Haussmann, the civil servant who transformed Paris in the latter half of the 19th century, the Hôtel Carnavalet was purchased by the Municipal Council of Paris in 1866; it was opened to the public in 1880. By the latter part of the 20th century, the museum was bursting at the seams. The Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau was annexed to the Canavalet and opened to the public in 1989.

History of the Hôtel Carnavalet

In 1548, Jacques des Ligneris, President of the Parliament of Paris, ordered the construction of the mansion that came to be known as the Hôtel Carnavalet; construction was completed about 1560. In 1578, the widow of Francois de Kernevenoy, later known as Carnavalet, purchased the building. In 1654, the mansion was bought by Claude Boislève, who commissioned the well-known architect, François Mansart, to make extensive renovations. Madame de Sévigné, famous for her letter-writing, lived in the Hôtel Carnavalet from 1677 until her death in 1696.

History of the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau

The Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau was also built in the middle of the 16th century. It was originally known as the Hôtel d’Orgeval. It was purchased by Michel Le Peletier and passed on eventually to his grandson, Michel-Étienne. Michel-Étienne Peletier was a representative of the nobility in the Estates General (which was convoked by King Louis XVI in 1789 in response to public outcries about issues such as the failing economy). In 1793, Peletier voted for the execution of the king. He was murdered, in revenge for his vote, on January 20, 1793. .

The collection

In the courtyard, a magnificent sculpture of Louis XIV, the Sun King, greets the visitor. Inside the museum, the exhibits show the transformation of the village of Lutèce, which was inhabited by the Parisii tribes, to the grand city of today with a population of 2,201,578.

The Carnavalet houses

about 2,600 paintings, 20,000 drawings, 300,000 engravings and 150,000 photographs, 2,000 modern sculptures and 800 pieces of furniture, thousands of ceramics, many decorations, models and reliefs, signs, thousands of coins, countless items, many of them souvenirs of famous characters, and thousands of archeological fragments. . . . The period called Modern Time, which spans from the Renaissance until today, is known essentially by the vast amount of images of the city . . . There are many views of the streets and monuments of Paris from the sixteenth to the twentieth century, but there are also many portraits of characters who played a role in the history of the capital and works showing events which took place in Paris, especially the many revolutions which stirred the capital, as well as many scenes of the daily life in all the social classes.

Some highlights of the Carnavalet’s exhibits include

  • Long narrow canoes made from a single tree trunk (pirogues), dating back long before the first written description of the village (known at the time as Lutèce) in A.D. 52 in Julius Caesar’s De bello Gallico
  • A beautiful fourth-century bottle used for perfume, wine, or honey
  • An ornate chest from the 13th century, which probably came from the Abby of Saint Denis
  • A well-preserved 14th-century sculpture of the head of the Virgin Mary, peaceful and contemplative, despite the tumultuous events that decimated the city at that time: the Hundred Years War and the Great Plague of 1348
  • Paintings from the 16th century depicting famous men and women of the time, including Francis I, Catherine de Medici, and Henry IV
  • A painting of the Pont Neuf in about 1660 showing Parisians on horseback or on foot. A vendor is showing his wares to a crowd of interested on-lookers, and a man is walking hunched over with a bundle on his back.
  • Several paintings of Madame de Sévigné, who was considered the most beautiful woman in Paris
  • The famous uncompleted painting by Jacques-Louis David, The Tennis Court Oath (1789), portraying a pivotal event in French history when members of the National Assembly swore an emotional oath that they would not disband until they had passed a “solid and equitable Constitution.“ This event is often regarded as the beginning of the French Revolution.
  • Paintings showing the people’s revenge on the Bastille,a dungeon that had become “a symbol of the arbitrariness of royal power.”
  • Paintings or sculptures of the famous actors in the drama of the Revolution, including Mirabeau, Danton, Robespierre, and the royal family
  • A painting of death by guillotine at the Place de la Révolution, by Pierre-Antoine Demauchy: the fate that struck King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, the Royalists, the Girondins, the Herbertists, the Dantonists, Robespierre and his followers, and many others
  • Personal effects belonging to Marie-Antoinette.
  • A paper on which Robespierre had partially written his signature when he was seized by soldiers of the National Convention.
  • Napoleon’s favorite case of toiletries
  • Paintings of early 19th-century Paris
  • A striking painting depicting one of the most important moments of the July Revolution: The Seizing of the Louvre, 29 July 1830, by Jean-Louis Bézard
  • Marvelous sculptures of Parisians of the time, some realistic portrayals, others caricatures, by Jean-Pierre Dantan
  • The extremely ornate cradle of the imperial prince, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte,son of the EmperorNapoleon III and the Empress Eugénie
  • Illustrated posters from the
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Nathalie Roch
19 September 2012
One of the most charming museum in Paris. The 18th and 19th century are incredible. Don't forget to explore the Fouquet's shop by Mucha. It's a wonderful Arts & Crafts reproduction.
Leah Raddish
8 April 2015
Wonderful museum with a nice mix of antiques and paintings. Free admission and tucked into a lovely neighborhood. Not to be missed.
Stephanie
20 June 2013
The history of Paris as a city! Located in the Marais. Nice way to spend a couple of hours. Free entry to general collection. Not well known=not super busy. Perfect way to take in art with history.
A T
23 August 2014
Incontournable musée de l'histoire de Paris. Pas d'excuse, l'accès à (la riche et passionnante) exposition permanente est gratuite.
Victoria Goulart
1 September 2016
Museu incrivelmente surprendente! Jamais imaginei que fosse tão bonito e que a história de Paris fosse ser tão interessante em um lugar fechado, e não nas ruas. Lembrando que o museu é gratuito sempre
Jibé
26 June 2013
Hormis l'histoire de Paris que le musée raconte, il vaut le détour rien que par ses intérieurs magnifiques et ses jardins. Et en plus, il est gratuit !
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