Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée de la Monnaie de Paris, created in 1833 by Jean-Baptiste Henry Collin de Sussy, was inaugurated by Louis-Philippe I on November 8 of the same year. Located at the Mint Hotel on the dock in Conti, it presents collections related to monetary manufacturing, ores with typing techniques, as well as iconic pieces such as a Philippe VI gold crown or a platinum standard meter. The museum, rich in 200,000 objects including 70,000 medals and 40,000 coins, underwent a major overhaul between 2010 and 2017 as part of the MetaLmorphoses project.

Between 1991 and 2010, a new museum was designed by Katherine Gruel (Antiquity), Jean Belaubre (Middle Age) and Bruno Collin (modern and contemporary eras), highlighting the know-how of the last Parisian monetary factory. The museum also exhibits treasures such as Hué's (Vietnam) or collaborative art objects, such as the Venus at Arman's cello. Labelled "Musée de France", it combines conservation, research and pedagogy, with engraving demonstrations and views of the workshops still in operation.

The institution, founded in the 18th century under Louis XV, historically unites two activities: the monetary strike (regalian, installed quai de Conti in 1775) and the production of medals (initially housed in the Louvre under Louis XIV). In the 20th century, the rise in monetary production led to the opening of a second plant in Pessac (Gironde). Today, the museum features 1,800 objects on 1,200 m2, illustrating 1,000 years of technical, economic and artistic history, from African cauris to modern alloys.

The museum journey revolves around key themes: raw materials (gold, platinum, tin), engraving techniques (from hammer to laser), the fight against counterfeiting, and symbolic uses of money. A treasure room presents archaeological ensembles, while a Numiscope in augmented reality reveals the secrets of historical pieces. Archives and 13,020 printed volumes were transferred to the Economic and Financial Archives for preservation.

The museum is housed in the Hotel des Monnaies, a historical monument associated with Philippe Auguste. His laboratory, heir to the École Royale des Mines founded in 1783 by chemist Balthazar Georges Sage, is still studying alloys and anti-counterfeiting processes. Visitors also discover contemporary works, such as Philippe Starck's "Ultimate Franc", and portraits of artisans perpetuating centuries-old know-how.

Since its reopening in 2017, the museum has focused on interactivity: periodic table of elements, keystroke demonstrations, and views of the smelter shop. It preserves nearly 170,000 objects, including 2,000 exhibits, demonstrating the links between science, power and society, from antiquity to the euro. The collections also cover ethnology (weight Akan, mitako) and decorative art (meubles medalrs of the 18th to 19th centuries).

Collection

Le musée est riche d'un fond de près de 200.000 objets dont le récolement est en cours. Près de 70.000 médailles, 40.000 monnaies, 18.000 monnaies papier, 5000 outillages constituent l'essentiel du fond. Le reste est constitué d'objets scientifiques et métrologiques, d'objets d'art, de tableau, de plans et même de vitraux !

Future

The Hôtel de la Monnaie, quai de Conti, still houses the Monnaie de Paris and the Musée de la Monnaie de Paris.

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