Construction of Rohan and Soubise hotels XVIIe-XVIIIe siècles (≈ 1850)
Classic architecture and Baroque elements.
1867
Creation of the Museum of Archives
Creation of the Museum of Archives 1867 (≈ 1867)
Opening by Léon de Laborde, Managing Director.
1939
Renamed Museum of the History of France
Renamed Museum of the History of France 1939 (≈ 1939)
Inaugurated by Jean Zay, Minister of Education.
2000
Recast of the museum engaged
Recast of the museum engaged 2000 (≈ 2000)
Suspension of permanent exposures for conservation.
2011-2012
Abandonment of the Maison de l'Histoire de France
Abandonment of the Maison de l'Histoire de France 2011-2012 (≈ 2012)
Project validated for the Museum of Archives.
2025
Arrival of the June 18 Appeal
Arrival of the June 18 Appeal 2025 (≈ 2025)
Original manuscript by De Gaulle exhibited.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Door of the former hotel of Clisson: ranking by list of 1862 and by certificate of 23 May 1923; Hôtel de Soubise : classification by list of 1862; The group in bas-relief of the Horses of the Sun that overcomes the door of the former stables of the former hotel of Rohan: classification by decree of 27 January 1900; Façades of the main building, large 18th-century vestibule of the ground floor, large 18th-century living rooms of the first floor, yousures of the large 18th-century right staircase, 18th-century left staircase from the ground floor to the second floor, facades of the buildings that surround the courtyard of honour and the courtyard of the stables known as the horse yard of Apollo, facades overlooking the Old-Temple and Four-Fils streets of the former hotel of Rohan: ranking by decree of 27 November 1924; Total buildings and soils, with the exception of classified parts (Box AP 44 to 47): entry by order of 8 April 1992; All facades and roofs of the Hotel de Jaucourt 54 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, the Hotel de Fontenay 56 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, and the Hotel de Breteuil 58 rue des Francs-Bourgeois; all the facades and roofs of the Hôtel d'Assy 58 bis rue des Francs-Bourgeois, as well as the living room decorated by Oppenord located on the first floor of the north wing and the bedroom overlooking the garden that follows it, and also the staircase with its cage and grill located at the corner of the east wing and the building extending along the street; the facades on courtyard and the corresponding roofs of the Hôtel de Boisgelin, at the corner of the rue Vieille-du-Temple and the Quatre-Fils; the facades and roofs of the Grand Depots dating from the reign of Napoleon III as well as the shops on the first floor housing the Treasure of Charters; the soil of existing courtyards and gardens (Box AP 44-47): classification by decree of 15 March 1993
Key figures
Léon de Laborde - Director General of the Empire Archives
Founded the Archives Museum in 1867.
Jean Zay - Minister of National Education
Inaugurated the Museum of the History of France (1939).
Germain Boffrand - Architect
Contributed to the Hotel de Soubise (18th century).
Jean-Pierre Babelon - Director of the Museum (1957)
Historician and Curator of the Archives.
Pierre Fournié - Present director of the museum
General curator of heritage.
Origin and history
The former hotels of Rohan and Soubise, located in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, date from the 17th and 18th centuries. They now house the National Archives, an institution created to preserve the historical records of France. These buildings, classified as Historical Monuments, underwent renovations in the 19th and 20th centuries, notably with the construction of CARAN (centre of reception and research of the national archives). In particular, the Hôtel de Soubise is home to the National Archives Museum, founded in 1867 by Count Léon de Laborde, then general manager of the Empire Archives.
The Musée des Archives nationales, originally named the Musée des Archives, was renamed the Musée de l'Histoire de France in 1939 under the leadership of Minister Jean Zay. It presents major historical documents, such as the French constitutions, the royal wills or the Serment du Jeu de Paume, preserved in specialized collections (AE I to AE VI). In 2000, a renovation of the museum was initiated, with temporary suspension of permanent exhibitions for conservation reasons. The project evolved in 2011-2012, with the abandonment of the Maison de l'Histoire de France in favour of autonomous museum development.
The museum's collections are not permanent but draw on the National Archives' holdings. The exhibits include various historical objects: international treaties, exhibits of major trials (such as Fieschi's infernal machine or Landru's glasses), paintings, sculptures, and measuring standards. Some documents, such as the June 18 call of De Gaulle, are due to join the museum in 2025. The facades, lounges and stairs of the hotels of Rohan and Soubise, classified since 1862, testify to their architectural richness, with elements such as the group of the Horses of the Sun or the door of the former hotel in Clisson.
The main address of the National Archives is 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, in a historic district of Paris. The buildings, protected by several classification stops (1862, 1900, 1924, 1993), illustrate the architectural evolution of Parisian private hotels, with contributions by architects such as Germain Boffrand. The museum, run successively by curators such as Jean-Pierre Babelon or Ariane James-Sarazin, remains a key place for the dissemination of French written heritage.
The temporary exhibitions and the permanent tour, planned in the Soubise hotel, highlight emblematic documents accessible online via the Archim database or Wikimedia Commons. Despite periods of reduced activity (work, room transfers), the museum maintains an educational and cultural mission, validated in 2011 by the Conseil supérieur des archives. Its complementary role to other institutions, such as the Maison de l'Histoire de France (abandoned project), makes it a unique player in the preservation of national memory.
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Collection
Le musée des Archives nationales ne dispose pas de collections permanentes mais expose des documents des Archives nationales.
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