Musee de Notre Dame de Paris (Paris)

10 Rue du Cloitre- Notre- Dame

Tel. 01 43 25 42 92

Subway: Cite

Open: 2:30pm- 6pm Wed, Sat, Sun

 

Description of Museum of Notre Dame Cathedral

Museum of Notre Dame Cathedral is located just north of the cathedral across Rue du Cloitre- Notre- Dame. It harbours many artefacts from the site that date from the Roman- Gaelic times to modern history. It located in the house No. 10 in the Rue du Cloître Notre Dame opposite the northern wing of the cathedral. Museum of Notre Dame Cathedral was established in 1951 to present the history of the cathedral and exhibits objects from Roman times to the 19th century found in the cathedral during archaeological excavations. Apart from these, he shows other objects related to the history of the cathedral, such as drawings, plans and engravings, diminished models, modern paintings and historical documents, including a proposal to restore the temple signed by Victor Hugo and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. Museum of Notre Dame Cathedral was closed in November 2008.

 

The archaeological Crypt of the Ile de la Cité, witness to more than 2000 years of history, reopens its doors to the public. It hosts a tribute exhibition proposed following the fire of the cathedral which traces the history of Notre-Dame de Paris at the time of Victor Hugo.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the cathedral, more than 500 years old, deteriorated. Vandalized and poorly maintained, there are even plans to demolish it. The novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo, published in 1831, made the monument the main character and following the immense success of the book, a popular movement was born in its defence.

An ambitious restoration project was then led by the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc from 1844 to 1864. He wished to remain faithful to the medieval monument but also allowed himself some creations: when he drew the sculptures, in particular the monsters which adorn the heights of the cathedral, the architect was inspired by Victor Hugo's novel.

The first photographers bear witness to this history and document many stages of the restoration. Like the famous novel by Victor Hugo and the audacious architecture of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, these images contribute to inscribing the cathedral in posterity. The building is admired around the world as evidenced by the global emotion caused by the fire of April 15, 2019.

The course
Built from reproductions and digital devices, the route reveals the images that have contributed to inscribing the cathedral in posterity. The visitor goes back in time and travels through the universe of Notre-Dame. Excerpts from films, ranging from the beginnings of the cinema to the animated film from the Disney studios, the film “Notre-Dame Eternal” produced by the Orange Group as well as 3D reconstructions are to be discovered in the heart of the Archaeological crypt on the Ile de la Cité, just below the cathedral forecourt.

Office
Vincent Gille, curator at the House of Victor Hugo
Anne de Mondenard, chief curator, responsible for the photographic and digital image collections of the Carnavalet museum – History of Paris
Sylvie Robin, Chief Curator of the Archaeological Crypt of the Ile de la Cité and of the archeology collections of the Carnavalet Museum – History of Paris
Charles Villeneuve de Janti, chief curator, director of collections at Paris Musées