Musée de l’Armée: Army Museum in Paris
I had no clue how awesome the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum) in Paris would be. I knew we would be able to see Napoleon’s tomb (which is magnifique), but I was surprised at all the other aspects of military history that were on display.
The museum holds 500,000 historical military artifacts. Like many other Paris museums, you could likely spend an entire day exploring this museum alone. But if your time is limited, here are six must-see exhibits at the Musée de l’Armée you should explore.
The Dome Church – Tomb of Napoleon I
The Dome Church was built during the reign of Louis XIV (the Sun King) in the 1600s. The building has take on many roles since its initial construction. In 1861, Napoleon I’s body was laid to rest in a giant coffin under the center of the ornate dome above.
Napoleon was only 5′ 7″ tall, but his tomb is pretty much the centerpiece of The Dome Church. Although you will find tombs of other French leaders, like Napoleon II, and Generals Bertrand and Duroc to name a few.
One interesting fact I learned after my visit: The building provided secret housing for Allied pilots during World War II.
After visiting the Dome Church, head north into the Hotel des Invalides to see the other exhibits dedicated to the military history of France.
The Army Museum Displays Two World Wars
While I loved seeing the ornate nature of Napoleon I’s tomb, my favorite portion of the museum was learning about World War I and World War II and the French army.
I read war posters in French, saw a trench coat with dried mud on it from the trenches of World War I, and read about Pearl Harbor, and watched short films about the war. The artifacts and uniforms aren’t limited to the French military; you’ll also find items from other countries involved in the great conflicts.
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I could’ve spent a lot longer in this portion of the museum than we did. If you’re a fan of World War I and II history, be sure and allocate a couple of hours to this section alone. You won’t regret it.
Charles de Gaulle’s History
I remember learning about Charles de Gaulle when I was learning French in middle school. But that was more than 25 years ago – so a refresher on his life and leadership was interesting.
When you first check in to this exhibit, grab a free pair of headphones. During your visit, the headphones will activate at certain points and offer insights in to what you’re looking at. There’s also a theater with a short film about his life – and it’s always nice to get off your feet, sit in a comfortable seat and watch a little film.
Cathedral of Saint-Louis Des Invalides
I love the ornate nature of the cathedrals in France. The tall ceilings, art and in some cathedrals – military flags, trophies from battle and other ornate decorations.
The Cathedral of Saint-Louis des Invalides is connected to the Dome Church by a glass wall. When the buildings were initially built in the 1600s, they allowed the king and his soldiers to attend mass together, but each had different entrances as was the protocol of the day.
During our visit, there was a funeral or event in the Cathedral. We heard a beautiful song being sung by a choir while we were standing in the Dome Church. I love the sound of music performed in these cathedrals – but it’s much better when you can be in the actual cathedral.
Antique Arms and Armor
The armor exhibits at the Musee de L’Armee come from a few cultures. You’ll see the typical European style armor, along with some oriental armor. But the armor isn’t all about war – there’s also armor and artifacts on display that were used for pleasure: Hunting, jousting, tournaments and more.
Beyond the armor, you’ll see displays of weapons. We saw countless swords of varying sizes, axes and even cannons and cannon balls.
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As we wrapped up our walk through this exhibit, we even saw a little display about the legend of the man in the iron mask. Has Hollywood portrayed the story accurately? Who was the man in the iron mask? That’s something we may never find out.
From Louis XIV to Napoleon III (1643-1871)
We spent so much time in several of the other exhibits, that we didn’t have enough time to fully explore the Louis XIV to Napoleon III exhibit. The guards were chasing us out at closing time. But as we walked through the area, there were numerous hallways of armor, clothing, weapons, paintings, artifacts and so much more.
In our rush through, we saw several people using touchscreens on some interactive exhibits to learn more about this period of time in French culture.
The Details
Address: Hôtel National des Invalides, 129, rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
Cost: Full price tickets are 12 Euro (roughly $13) per person. People under age 18 are free, but still need to have a ticket. They can be purchased online or at the museum. Entrance to the Army Museum is included in the Paris Museum Pass.
Hours: April – October, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. November – March, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Jan. 1, May 1 and Dec. 25.
Website: https://www.musee-armee.fr/en/english-version.html
Phone: +33 (0)1 44 42 38 77
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Fascinating!
It was a fascinating museum and one I highly recommend checking out if you’re ever in Paris.
Forget the Louvre, this is where I want to go! Swords, suits of armor, guns, and Napoleon win hands down over a bunch of art. But my wife is coming too, so we’ll probably do both. Thanks for the great info.
I loved this museum as well. My favorite part was the section on WWI and WWII. I’ve been to several museums in the states about the wars, but it was interesting to see it from the French perspective. But like you said, it’s important to please your fellow travelers, so maybe hit up another art museum or two. My favorite museum was the Musee l’Orangerie – probably because it wasn’t so intimidating with a bazillion pieces of art. Check out my other articles on the art museums in Paris so you can see which ones your wife may be most interested in visiting while there.