Guide to the Army Museum in Paris: Exhibition & History

The Army Museum, "Musée de l'Armée" in French, is the national military museum of France. It is located in the beautiful Hôtel national des Invalides and houses one of the world's largest collections of military history and art. It is an important museum among Paris museums.

France has an important history and collected a lot of uniforms, weapons, drawings, paintings, everyday objects, which illustrate it, from prehistory to the present day.

Let's find out all the complete visitor information for the Army Museum in Paris, including exhibition highlights, history, tickets, tours and helpful information on how to get there.

What can I do at the Army Museum in Paris ?

As one of the largest arms museums in the world, the Musée de l'Armée houses an extensive collection on the military history of France.

The museum's holdings include over 500,000 objects that cover a period from the Prehistory to the present day.

On an area of around 8000 square meters, visitors can explore the thematically structured exhibition rooms and see military exhibits such as weapons, armor, uniforms, photographs, paintings and personal items from important personalities such as Louis XIV and Charles de Gaulle.

The highlight of the museum is the collection of old weapons and armor, which is the third largest collection in the world, as well as unique artillery models. Also worth seeing is the “Charles de Gaulle Monument”, an interactive multimedia room dedicated to the French President Charles de Gaulle.

The centerpiece, however, is the Dôme des Invalides with the tomb of Napoleon I. Together with the museum, it is part of the building complex Les Invalides and is one of the most popular attractions in Paris.

The museum can be divided into the following exhibition areas :

• Main Courtyard and the artillery collections
• Old Department, old armor and weapons, 13th - 17th centuries
• Modern Department, from Louis XIV to Napoleon III, 1643 - 1870
• Special exhibition rooms
• Dôme des Invalides, Tomb of Napoleon I.
• Contemporary Department, the Two World Wars, 1871-1945
• The Charles de Gaulle Monument
• Cathedral of Saint-Louis des Invalides

Temporary Exhibitions

Twice a year, in spring and in autumn, the museum's program is enriched by a remarkable cultural-historical exhibition. For an up-to-date overview of the temporary exhibitions, please consult the Army Museum's official website.

Concerts

The Musée de l’Armée hosts classical concerts several times a year. Famous ensembles such as the Symphony Orchestra of the Republican Guard, the Choir of the French Army, the Harmony Orchestra of the Air Force or the orchestra of the Paris Conservatory are presented with priority. 

Cinema in the Museum

There are regular free cinema screenings in the museum's auditorium. 

Events & Lectures

As part of the cultural program, a variety of events and lectures are presented in the Army Museum. Admission to these events is free, but reservations are required. 

Bookstore

A bookstore, which sells souvenirs and postcards as well as a large selection of books about the collections of the Musée de l’Armée, is located in the reception area at the entrance on Place Vauban.

Cafe in the museum

The café-restaurant “Le carré des Invalides” at the entrance on Place Vauban offers visitors the opportunity to relax and eat in a pleasant atmosphere.

Entrance, Tickets and Tours

How to get to the Army Museum in Paris ?

The Army Museum of Paris is located in the building complex of the Hôtel national des Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.

The easiest way to get there is by bus 82 or 92 to the “Vauban - Hôtel des Invalides” station and enter the entrance on Place Vauban.

Alternatively, you can take the metro 8 to “La Tour-Maubourg” station and walk 5 minutes to the entrance on the Esplanade des Invalides.

History of the Army Museum in Paris

The Musée de l'Armée opened in 1905 in the Hôtel national des Invalides.

The founding of the Army Museum goes back to the merger of the two military history museums Musée d’Artillerie (the Museum of Artillery founded in 1795) and the Musée Historique de l’Armée (the Historical Museum of Army founded in 1897).

With its extensive collections and varied cultural program, the Army Museum is one of the most visited museums in Paris today.

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