In Paris’s Marais district, the Musée des Archives Nationales occupies the Hôtel de Soubise, a former aristocratic residence now used by the National Archives. The museum displays documents and objects that trace French history, from the Merovingian period to 1958. Look for significant records including Marie-Antoinette’s final letter and the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, then take in the mansion’s ornate rooms and courtyard. Entry is free, and the gardens provide a quieter place to pause outside.
A mansion in the Marais
The museum is housed in the Hôtel de Soubise, a historic residence in Paris’s Marais district. Its story begins with an earlier building on the site, the Hôtel de Clisson, constructed in 1371. The turreted medieval gateway is the surviving remnant of that structure.
The property later belonged to the Ducs de Guise. In 1705, François de Rohan-Soubise and Anne de Rohan-Chabot commissioned a major rebuilding by architect Pierre-Alexis Delamair. The residence was further adapted in the 1730s in the Rococo style. After the French Revolution, the state took possession of the mansion. It became part of the National Archives in 1808, and its former owners’ apartments were preserved.
Rooms and architectural details
The Hôtel de Soubise has an oval colonnade in its courtyard and richly decorated interiors. The surviving apartments include rooms arranged for different uses, among them bedrooms, a library and spaces for writing or games. Their furnishings and decoration give the building the character of a former home, as well as an archive site.
Look closely at the architecture as you move between rooms. The museum’s older floors can creak underfoot, and some interior areas are dimly lit. Outside, the garden offers a change of pace from the formal rooms, with shaped trees among its greenery.
Documents that chart French history
The collections bring together records from different periods of French history, extending from the Merovingian era through 1958. The material includes documents on parchment and paper, as well as microfilms, sound recordings and digital files.
Among the notable records are a diploma associated with Charlemagne, documents concerning the foundation of Sainte-Chapelle, Marie-Antoinette’s last letter and the Constitution of the Fifth Republic. Exhibitions also use objects, maps and audiovisual material to add context to particular subjects. Displays change, so a specific exhibition or document may not be on view during every visit.
The museum’s emphasis is on presenting history through archival material. Some exhibition text and films are in French, so visitors who do not read or understand French may find parts harder to follow. The documents and rooms can still be explored at your own pace.
Perguntas frequentes
Is the Musée des Archives Nationales free?
Yes. Admission to the museum is free.
What can you see at the museum?
The collections include French historical records from the Merovingian period to 1958. Notable documents include Marie-Antoinette’s last letter and the Constitution of the Fifth Republic.
Where is the Musée des Archives Nationales?
It is in the Hôtel de Soubise at 60 Rue des Francs Bourgeois, in Paris’s Marais district.
Are the exhibitions available in English?
Some exhibition explanations are not translated into English, and films are in French.
