Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Arthur Maury - Philatelist
Launch of the museum in 1889.
Eugène Vaillé - Position Officer and Curator
Relaunched the project in 1936, the first Conservative (1946-1955).
Georges Mandel - Minister of PTT (1936)
Supports the creation of the museum.
André Chatelin - Architect, Grand Prix de Rome
Designs the current building (1973).
Robert Juvin - Sculptor
Create the panels in relief of the facade.
Hubert Germain - Minister of PTT (1973)
Open the new museum.
Origin and history
The Musée de La Poste, opened in 1946 in Paris, is the corporate museum of Groupe La Poste, dedicated to postal history and French philately. His collections, labeled "Musée de France", include stamps, factor uniforms, artist models and archives for the manufacture of French and overseas stamps. The museum has had two Parisian sites: first the hotel of Choiseul-Praslin in the 6th arrondissement (1946-1973), then a brutalist building at 34, boulevard de Vaugirard in the 15th, inaugurated in 1973 and renovated between 2015 and 2019.
The idea of a postal museum emerged in 1889, led by the philatelist Arthur Maury, but the project did not materialize until 1936 under the impetus of Eugene Vaillé, a post office official, and Minister Georges Mandel. Despite the delays caused by the economic crisis and the Second World War, the museum was officially created by decree in 1943. A surcharge stamp issued in 1939 and a finance law in 1942 prepare its postwar opening, with collections already inventoried in the Post Office archives.
The present museum, designed by architect André Chatelin, is distinguished by its moulded concrete facade decorated with relief panels evoking the engraving of a stamp. These elements, created by sculptor Robert Juvin, inspired the museum logo. The facade, preserved during the renovation of 2015-2019, was awarded the label "Remarkable Contemporary Architecture" in 2021. The permanent course, organized over 1,000 m2, explores postal history through three thematic sections, from seven league boots to 150 years of postage stamp.
The museum's collections, rich in 1,267,000 works, include more than one million philatelic pieces (maquettes, punches, stamps), 200,000 images, and 37,000 objects illustrating the work of the post office from the Middle Ages to today. The museum also manages the compulsory deposit of archives for the manufacture of French, Andorran and overseas stamps. The Société des amis du musée de La Poste (SAMP), founded in 1947, played a key role in its development.
The boulevard de Vaugirard building, close to Montparnasse train station, is served by the Montparnasse - Bienvenüe metro station. Its brutalist design, typical of modern movement, makes it a striking example of 20th century architecture. After its reopening in 2019, the museum continues to showcase a historical, artistic and scientific heritage, reflecting the evolution of communications in France.
