Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Arts and Crafts is a public institution dedicated to science and technology, integrated with the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (CNAM). Founded in 1794 on the proposal of Abbé Grégoire to the National Convention, his initial mission was to train technicians and engineers through practical demonstrations. Today, it is labeled "Museum de France" and is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education and retains nearly 80,000 objects, including 2,500 exhibited in its Parisian galleries. Its collections, enriched since the eighteenth century, illustrate industrial and scientific revolutions, from Vaucanson's automatons to contemporary advances.

The museum occupies the buildings of the former Royal Priory Saint-Martin-des-Champs, nationalized in 1789 and assigned to the Conservatory in 1798. The architectural ensemble, largely renovated under the monarchy of July and the Second Empire by Léon Vaudoyer, combines medieval elements and a neo-Gothic decor in the former priorial church. Ranked a historic monument since 1993, the site was completely renovated between 1994 and 2000 as part of the Great State Works. The Arts et Métiers metro station, redesigned in 1994 by François Schuiten, serves as an introduction to the museum.

The museum's collections are structured around seven themes (scientific instruments, materials, construction, etc.), divided into four time periods. The iconic pieces include Foucault's pendulum, Blériot and Breguet's aircraft, and Lavoisier's laboratory. The first acquisitions date back to 18th-century engineer Jacques de Vaucanson, whose automatons and weaving machines are among the oldest preserved objects. The museum also benefited from universal exhibitions and donations from aristocratic physics firms, such as Abbé Nollet's.

Between 1992 and 2000, a major renovation modernized the exhibition spaces and reserves, now located in Saint-Denis. The museum offers thematic tours, educational workshops and lecture cycles, while providing a specialized documentation centre and historical library. Its permanent exhibition highlights major innovations, from Marly's and Watt's machines to digital technologies, including transportation (Cugnot's fardier, TGV) and communications (printing, television).

The former Priorial Church, the heart of the museum, welcomes large objects such as Foucault's pendulum or steam machines. The court housed until 2021 a small model of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of Franco-American exchanges. The Museum of Arts and Crafts remains a key place for the preservation and dissemination of the French scientific and technical heritage, while opening up to temporary exhibitions and contemporary perspectives on innovation.

Collection

Les collections du musée des arts et métiers comptent actuellement près de 46 000 numéros d'inventaire. Cela regroupe environ 80 000 objets (dont 20 000 photographies) et 15 000 dessins techniques formant le « Portefeuille industriel ».

Seuls environ 2 500 objets sont présentés dans les galeries du musée, à Paris, le reste étant conservé dans des locaux spécialement aménagés et répondant aux normes de conservation préventive, à Saint-Denis.

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