Museum of Contemporary History

Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine

The Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine is a museum of contemporary history located in the Hôtel National des Invalides. The museum was originally established in 1914 as the Library-Museum of the War, and became part of the Ministry of Public Education in 1917. In 1925 the President of the Republic performed its inauguration within the Museum of the War in the Pavillon de la Reine at the Château de Vincennes. In 1973 it moved to the Invalides, and in 1987 was given its current name to reflect collections that extend far beyond wars. It now forms the iconographic section of the Library of Contemporary International Documentation (BDIC).

Today the museum contains about 1,500,000 items and documents from 1870 to the present day, covering major themes of French or international history. Collections focus on political, social and cultural concerns, and represent multiple media including paintings, sculptures, objects, engravings, drawings, posters, photos, and postcards. It presents major temporary exhibits in addition to items from its permanent collection.

(Wikipedia)