Paris’s oldest museum turns 160 with a free festive weekend
Imagine a place that holds more than 625,000 works, objects and documents on the history of a single city: that is exactly what the musée Carnavalet offers, widely regarded as the oldest museum in Paris dedicated to the capital. For its 160th anniversary, the institution is not settling for a quiet celebration. It is planning a free festive weekend on 3 and 4 October 2026, in the heart of the 3rd arrondissement, that promises to leave a lasting impression.
A programme of visits that reinvents the way you explore Paris’s oldest museum
What immediately stands out about this weekend’s programming is the determination to bring the collections to life in new ways. Rather than offering a conventional tour, the museum has devised a series of original themed visits designed to surprise even the most regular visitors.
On Saturday, two distinct itineraries are on offer. The first, titled « Paris-ci, par-là », invites visitors on a detail-spotting hunt through the galleries. The second, « Objets insolites », shines a light on the most surprising pieces in the collection, the ones you might easily overlook on an ordinary visit.
Sunday shifts the mood entirely. A divination-themed tour, led by actress and cartomancer Léone Metayer, takes visitors through the collections tarot card in hand. It is an original angle that blends heritage with imagination. Alongside this, the « Le Paris Queer » tour traces the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in the capital, drawing on the unique holdings of this remarkable museum.
Concerts, drag, DJ sets: the party comes to the collections
Beyond the guided visits, this anniversary weekend offers a string of activities far removed from what you might typically associate with a museum. The collective Sculpteurs de rêves will run an immersive game throughout the collections on Saturday. That same day, a jazz concert, drag performances by Kings Factory and a DJ set from Mancha BRS will transform the museum’s spaces into a full-blown festive stage.
A glitter bar will also be on hand on Saturday, so you can literally sparkle among the artworks. Because this oldest museum in Paris is determined to show that a centuries-old institution can reinvent itself and embrace the most unexpected formats.
Sunday dials the atmosphere back slightly without losing any energy. A Drag Bingo hosted by Daisy Lusion features in the programme. Alongside it, the « Carnavalet Respire ! » space will offer a creative setting where visitors can contribute to a collective artwork or simply let their imagination run free, with no constraints whatsoever.
What this weekend means in practical terms for visitors
Here are the key details to keep in mind when planning your visit:
- Dates: Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026
- Venue: musée Carnavalet, 23 rue de Sévigné, Paris 3e
- Free admission, subject to capacity
- Original themed visits on both days
- Festive programming: jazz, drag, DJ set, immersive game, creative space
This weekend is open to everyone, with no ticket to book in advance, making it a rare opportunity to (re)discover Paris’s oldest museum under truly exceptional conditions. The only catch is capacity: arriving early is strongly recommended to avoid missing the most popular activities.
160 years of Parisian history, an extraordinary collection
To appreciate the full significance of this anniversary, it helps to go back to the beginning. It was in 1866 that Baron Haussmann, then Prefect of the Seine, acquired the hôtel de Carnavalet with a clear purpose: to establish a museum dedicated to the history of Paris. That founding gesture made Carnavalet the oldest museum in Paris entirely devoted to the memory of the city.
Since then, the institution has assembled a collection of more than 625,000 works, objects and documents, making it a truly one-of-a-kind archive. Every room tells a fragment of Parisian history, from the city’s origins through to the contemporary era. Paris’s oldest museum is therefore far more than a place of conservation: it is a living memory, renewing itself for its 160th anniversary with a weekend that is every bit as remarkable as its history.
