An archaeological museum in a class of its own: discover the fantastic collections in Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Front view of the Musee Archeologique Nationale et Domaine National de Saint Germain en Laye

Highlights

Discover Paris the smart way: one ticket – over 60 attractions, museums and guided tours included!
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No advance booking is required for this attraction – your City Pass is your admission ticket

One of the largest archaeological collections in Europe awaits you
Discover finds from different eras from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze and Iron Ages to the early Middle Ages

Of the more than 2 million artefacts in the depots, 30,000 are on display – discover the fascination of archaeology

What awaits you on site

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Archaeological finds collected in France, from prehistory to the early Middle Ages.

The museum houses around 30,000 archaeological objects, making it one of the largest collections in Europe. These objects bear witness to human activity from the beginnings of prehistory (Palaeolithic) to the Carolingian period.

From castle to museum: the Château Saint-Germain-en-Laye

It was Napoleon III who gave the last remaining château on this site a purpose by establishing an archaeological museum there. The building offered many advantages: Francis I wanted a beautiful ballroom for his new residence in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Louis XIV transformed it into a "comedy theatre" where Lully and Moliere performed. Today, this ballroom houses the room for comparative archaeology.

The chapel is also worth a visit: it is 24 metres long and 10 metres wide. Its windows are – uniquely for a Gothic building – rectangular at the top and not ogival. The corners of the ribbed vaults are decorated with seven round heads, including St Louis and his mother, Blanche of Castile.