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Origin and history

The Petit Palais was built between 1897 and 1900 by architect Charles Girault for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, replacing the industrial palace demolished in 1896. The project, which won a competition unanimously, includes the creation of Nicolas II Avenue (now Winston-Churchill Avenue), linking the Champs-Élysées to the Invalides Planade. The Beaux-Arts style building is distinguished by its 125-metre façade with composite columns, a monumental porch topped by a dome, and a peristyle in the hemicycle. Exterior sculptures, such as The City of Paris protecting the Arts by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, symbolize his cultural role.

After the Exhibition, the Petit Palais was transformed between 1901 and 1902 to house the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, opening a permanent vocation. The building, designed for optimal natural light (glasses, domes, bays), is organized around a semicircular garden, with exposure spaces on the floor and offices on the ground floor. In 1975, it was listed as a historical monument. Its architecture influences other buildings, such as the AfricaMuseum of Tervuren (Belgium) or the opera of Saigon (Viêt Nam), built by Girault or inspired by it.

The museum's collections were enriched as early as 1902 by major donations, such as that of the Dutuit brothers (20,000 works, including Rembrandt and Rubens), or patrons Edward Tuck (French 18th century art) and Ambroise Vollard (modern works by Cézanne and Bonnard). The museum also acquires works by Gustave Courbet and has been developing a collection of contemporary photography since 2010. Between 2001 and 2005, a €68 million renovation, led by the Chaix & Morel workshop, modernises the spaces (22 000 m2), adds an amphitheater and a café, while preserving original natural lighting.

The Petit Palais organizes emblematic exhibitions, such as The Treasures of Tutânkhamon (1967), 1.2 million visitors, or Paris 1900 (2014), combining art and history. His permanent collections cover painting (Flamand, French, Italian), sculpture, decorative arts (with pieces by Émile Gallé or Hector Guimard), and a graphic background of 18,000 engravings (Dürer, Rembrandt, Watteau). Managed by Paris Museums since 2013, it remains a key place of Parisian heritage, combining historical architecture and cultural dynamism.

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