The National Archaeological Museum (French: Musée d'Archéologie nationale) is a major French
archaeology museum, covering
pre-historic times to the
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...
period (450–750). It is housed in the
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a former royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the department of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the '' Musée d'Archéologie nationale'' (Nationa ...
in the ''
département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...
'' of
Yvelines
Yvelines () is a department in the western part of the ÃŽle-de-France region in Northern France. In 2019, it had a population of 1,448,207.[Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...]
.
Building
The château had been one of the most important French royal residences in the Paris region since the 12th century. Following the move of the court to
Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of ÃŽle-de-France, ÃŽle-de-France region in Franc ...
, the castle housed the court of
James II of England
James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II of England, Charles II, on 6 February 1 ...
in exile, became a cavalry school in 1809 and finally a military prison from 1836 to 1855. The château, which was in very poor condition, was classified as a ''monument historique'' on 8 April 1863.
The interior was a maze of cells, corridors, false floors and partitions. The exterior was dilapidated and covered in a black coating.
The architect
Eugène Millet, a pupil of
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (; 27 January 181417 September 1879) was a French architect and author, famous for his restoration of the most prominent medieval landmarks in France. His major restoration projects included Notre-Dame de Paris, ...
, was given the job of restoring the château to hold the planned National Museum of Antiquities in 1855 and was told to remove all traces of the cells that the Ministry of War had installed when it was used as a prison. In 1857 he reported that all the partitions forming the cells and dungeons had been demolished and the rest of the chateau had been cleaned.
Construction work began in 1862 with the destruction of the West pavilion. Millet's goal was to restore the building to its state as it was under
Francis I of France
Francis I (; ; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once removed and father-in-law Louis&nbs ...
.
Eugène Millet died in
Cannes
Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
on 24 February 1879.
The restoration was continued by
Auguste Lafollye and
Honoré Daumet, and finally completed in 1907.
History
The museum was created by imperial decree on 8 March 1862 and formally opened on 12 May 1867. Since 2009, the museum, castle and gardens have been united as one institution, marking a new era for the museum and château.
Since its inception, the museum has been titled:
*1862: Museum of
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...
antiquities (''Musée des antiquités Gallo-Romaines'')
*1867: Museum of
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
and Gallo-Roman antiquities (''Musée des antiquités celtiques et gallo-romaines'')
*1879: Museum of national antiquities (''Musée des antiquités nationales'')
*2005: National archaeological museum (''Musée d'archéologie nationale'')
*2009: National archaeological museum, National domain of Saint-Germain-en-Laye ''(Musée d'archéologie nationale, domaine national de Saint-Germain-en-Laye'')
Museum at the time of Napoleon III
The
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire, officially the French Empire, was the government of France from 1852 to 1870. It was established on 2 December 1852 by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, president of France under the French Second Republic, who proclaimed hi ...
coincides with a great expansion of archaeology in France.
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...
was passionately interested in history and archeology, and ordered digs, most notably in
Alesia,
Gergovia, and
Bibracte
Bibracte, a Gauls, Gallic ''oppidum'' (fortified settlement), was the capital of the Aedui and one of the most important hillforts in Gaul. It was located near modern Autun in Burgundy, France. The archaeological culture, material culture of the ...
to complete his biography of
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
. The question of conservation and storage of the finds quickly arises. The imperial decree creating the Musée Gallo-Romain (the
Gallo-Roman
Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization (cultural), Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire in Roman Gaul. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, Roman culture, language ...
museum) was signed by Napoleon III on 8 March 1862.
In 1864,
Jean-Baptiste Verchère de Reffye, who was particularly involved in the project, proposed to the Emperor the project of a "historical museum" in order to: "provide historians with precise documents on the life of our Fathers, to invite industrial figures to study ancient manufacturing secrets, to get artists to recognise how art has evolved over time." The first meeting of the committee set up to organize the museum was held on 1 April 1865 in the office of Count
Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, superintendent of the
École des Beaux-Arts
; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centu ...
and in charge of imperial museums. Attendees included major figures in archaeology:
Alexandre Bertrand (who became the museum's first director),
Édouard Lartet,
Louis Félicien de Saulcy and
Jacques Boucher de Crèvecœur de Perthes.
On 11 April 1866, the committee published a report detailing the main axes of the project, the organisation of the space (by age rather than by type of object, as was the practice in the past) and an estimate of the budget.
Napoleon III inaugurated the first seven rooms of the museum on the 12 May 1867, during the
Paris world fair.
During WW2 and the German occupation
Starting in 1936, and following the rise in political tensions, the museum established plans to save the artifacts, a list of the most important pieces, and preparations for evacuations. The basements, with their 2.7-meter-thick
vaults, were designated as the shelter for the museum employees. Wooden boxes were built for transportation (an estimated 12 trucks were needed for transportation, but the said trucks were requisitioned by the army in 1938).
On 24 August 1939, the order was given to close the museum the next day in order to evacuate the collection, dispersed between
Chambord and
Cheverny. Starting 24 June 1940, the museum was occupied by German troops. Despite the efforts of
Raymond Lantier to contain the German occupation, the exhibition room 1 was turned into a meeting room for the German authorities in charge of
ÃŽle-de-France
The ÃŽle-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...
. Shooting exercises were held in the château’s ditch, and the museum was progressively occupied by troops. Starting 1942, the château suffered damage from bombings, which destroyed some of its stained glasses.
Following the
liberation of France, on 26 August 1944, the French flag was raised above the entrance and on one of the towers, ending the occupation of the museum. During this period, very little was done to the museum (apart from few acquisitions). The collections were repatriated progressively (until 15 March 1946), and the museum re-opened on 2 October 1945.
Renovations
After the war, the presentation of the museum was outdated and inadequate to meet the public's demand.
Minister of Cultural Affairs André Malraux
Georges André Malraux ( ; ; 3 November 1901 – 23 November 1976) was a French novelist, art theorist, and minister of cultural affairs. Malraux's novel ''La Condition Humaine'' (''Man's Fate'') (1933) won the Prix Goncourt. He was appointed ...
, who was passionate about archaeology, planned an ambitious renovation project started in 1961 under the direction of
René Joffroy. The number of rooms was reduced to 19 and the number of pieces on display to 30,000, ending the previous "encyclopaedic" displays. The architect, , wanted to "calm the strange decor" of the château by covering some of Millet's restoration and windows. The new layout was visited by
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...
on 25 March 1965 and inaugurated on the 9 April 1965 by
André Malraux
Georges André Malraux ( ; ; 3 November 1901 – 23 November 1976) was a French novelist, art theorist, and minister of cultural affairs. Malraux's novel ''La Condition Humaine'' (''Man's Fate'') (1933) won the Prix Goncourt. He was appointed ...
. The renovations and the updated museology were successively rolled out up until 1984 with the opening of the comparative archaeology room, in the largest room of the castle, the room of Mars.
The courtyard's facades were renovated from 1998 to 2000, the rooms of the first floor (covering the Paleolithic to the Iron Age) were renovated from 1999 to 2006.
Collections
The museum houses about 3 million archaeological objects of which about 30,000 are exhibited, making it one of the richest collections in Europe. These finds, discovered on the French territory, are presented by chronological periods:
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...
,
Neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
,
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
,
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
, Roman period (
Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul refers to GaulThe territory of Gaul roughly corresponds to modern-day France, Belgium and Luxembourg, and adjacent parts of the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. under provincial rule in the Roman Empire from the 1st century B ...
) and the first Middle Ages (
Merovingian Gaul). A collection of foreign archaeological and ethnological objects are presented in the comparative archeology room.
Paleolithic
The
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...
collections include objects related to the
lithic industry (
choppers,
bifaces,
microliths, etc.), and to the bone and antler industry (including needles and harpoons). The museum introduces the evolution of the genus ''
Homo
''Homo'' () is a genus of great ape (family Hominidae) that emerged from the genus ''Australopithecus'' and encompasses only a single extant species, ''Homo sapiens'' (modern humans), along with a number of extinct species (collectively called ...
'' with castings of ''
Homo erectus
''Homo erectus'' ( ) is an extinction, extinct species of Homo, archaic human from the Pleistocene, spanning nearly 2 million years. It is the first human species to evolve a humanlike body plan and human gait, gait, to early expansions of h ...
'' and
Neanderthal
Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...
skulls.
Among the most famous objects of the museum's Paleolithic collections is the
Venus of Brassempouy, one of the earliest known realistic representations of a human face, discovered in 1892 in one of the numerous excavations of
Édouard Piette in the Pyrenees. Among the many objects that Piette housed in the museum, about 10,000 are exhibited in a dedicated room. ''Salle Piette'' was restored and reopened in 2008, with the aim of restoring the original 19th-century museology and can be visited with a guide.
Vulve_stylisée.JPG , Stylised vulva, Aurignacian
The Aurignacian () is an archaeological industry of the Upper Paleolithic associated with Cro-Magnon, Early European modern humans (EEMH) lasting from 43,000 to 26,000 years ago. The Upper Paleolithic developed in Europe some time after the L ...
Venus_of_Brassempouy.jpg , Venus of Brassempouy, Gravetian
Biface_feuille_de_laurier.JPG , 'Laurel leaf' biface Solutrean
The Solutrean industry is a relatively advanced flint tool-making style of the Upper Paleolithic of the Final Gravettian, from around 22,000 to 17,000 BP. Solutrean sites have been found in modern-day France, Spain and Portugal.
Detai ...
Harpons_et_bâtons_sculptés.JPG , Harpoons and sculpted bones, Magdalenian
Magdalenian cultures (also Madelenian; ) are later cultures of the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic in western Europe. They date from around 17,000 to 12,000 years before present. It is named after the type site of Abri de la Madeleine, a ro ...
Magdalenian horse.jpg , Head of a horse, Magdalenian
Neolithic
The
Neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
(around 5800 to 2100 BC) is the second period of Prehistory. The population becomes the producer of its subsistence and no longer just a predator and now influences its environment. The populations become sedentary with the appearance of
agriculture
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
and
livestock
Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...
. The first villages are built and the first
megalithic
A megalith is a large Rock (geology), stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. More than 35,000 megalithic structures have been identified across Europe, ranging ...
structures erected. This period is characterized by particular technical innovations such as the
polishing
Polishing is the process of creating a smooth and shiny surface by rubbing it or by applying a chemical treatment, leaving a clean surface with a significant specular reflection (still limited by the index of refraction of the material accordi ...
of stone, the appearance of
ceramics
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porce ...
and
weaving
Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal ...
. The first long-distance exchange networks are being formed.
Stèle provençale MAN.jpg , Limestone stella, circa 4th millennium BC
Axe polished.JPG , Polished axes
Poterie neolithic.JPG , Terracotta jar
Polishing stones are visible in the ditch of the castle.
Bronze Age
In the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
(around 2100 to 750 BC), the society is still quite similar to that of the Neolithic, but the technical advances represented by bronze work will change the society which will be more and more hierarchical.
Jambiere en cuivre - 1250 avJC - Veuxhaulles-sur-Aube.jpg , Bronze armlets (circa 1250 BC)
Jambieres en cuivre - 1250 avJC - Veuxhaulles-sur-Aube.jpg , Bronze gaiters (circa 1250 BC)
Parure âge du bronze.jpg , Circa 1200 BC, jewel worn on the hip, made of bronze lacework around a suidae
Suidae is a family (biology), family of Even-toed ungulate, artiodactyl mammals which are commonly called pigs, hogs, or swine. In addition to numerous fossil species, 18 Extant taxon, extant species are currently recognized (or 19 counting domes ...
canine, found in a burial.
Casques à crète MAN.jpg , Crest helmets, 1150-950 BC
Sword bronze age (2nd version).jpg , Bronze sword, circa 800 BC
File:Cône_d'Avanton,_musée_des_Antiquités_Nationales.jpg, Avanton Gold Cone
Iron Age
The first Iron Age (780-480 BC), corresponding to the
Hallstatt culture
The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Western Europe, Western and Central European archaeological culture of the Late Bronze Age Europe, Bronze Age (Hallstatt A, Hallstatt B) from the 12th to 8th centuries BC and Early Iron Age Europe (Hallst ...
, is a period characterised by the burial in tumulus of the privileged.
Cuirasses Marmesse.JPG , Bronze breastplates, each composed of two shells, rivetted together on one side and closed with a hook on the other, illustrating the evolution from bronze to iron working (circa 950 BC to 780 BC).
Golasecca coupe encensoir.jpg , Terracotta cup ( Golasecca culture), middle of the 8th century BC
Pendoloques- Ivory Jura.jpg , Pectoral ornament 6th century BC
Sainte-Colombe-sur-Seine Bracelets.jpg , Gold bracelets, found in a Chariot burial
Chariot burials are tombs in which the deceased was buried together with their chariot, usually including their horses and other possessions. An instance of a person being buried with their horse (without the chariot) is called horse burial.
Fi ...
, 6th, 5th century BC.
Boucles d'oreilles St Colombe.jpg , Gold earrings - 6th, 5th century BC.
The second Iron Age (480 BC - beginning of our era) is marked by a warlike society which rises in power from the fifth century BC. to the 2nd century BC. The
Gauls
The Gauls (; , ''Galátai'') were a group of Celts, Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age Europe, Iron Age and the Roman Gaul, Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). Th ...
excel in pottery, glassware, metallurgy (bronze and iron).
The museum's collections show the transformations of Gaul and the life of the Gauls before the Roman conquest. The collection of Celtic art is one of the most important in the world.
Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul (from 52 BC to the end of the 5th century AD): as a result of the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar, Gaul is integrated into the Roman Empire. Urbanization is advancing with the arrival of cities and the construction of public buildings; A road network is formed throughout Gaul.
The six rooms of the Gallo-Roman department presents evidence of the religious context (gods, the world of the dead), the presence of the Roman army in Gaul, the different types of crafts and everyday life objects (related to food, costume, ornament, transportation, writing ...).
Merovingian Gaul
The first Middle Age (from the 5th to the 6th century AD) began with the
Merovingian dynasty
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century until Pepin the Short in 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the ...
, founded by
Clovis I
Clovis (; reconstructed Old Frankish, Frankish: ; – 27 November 511) was the first List of Frankish kings, king of the Franks to unite all of the Franks under one ruler, changing the form of leadership from a group of petty kings to rule by a ...
. Gaul became progressively more Frankish and Christian. One material witness to this Christianisation held by the museum is the syncretistic 7th-century
Grésin plaque, believed to depict an
ithyphallic Christ
Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...
. From this period, numerous cloisonné jewels were found with garnets set in metallic partitions, as well as buckles of damascened belts with silver or brass threads inserted in iron engraved furrows.
Comparative archeology
Archaeologist sometimes calls on other human sciences such as ethnology or sociology to interpret the traces of the past. It is in this spirit that the "comparative archeology of the five continents room" was conceived at the beginning of the twentieth century by
Henri Hubert and
Marcel Mauss
Marcel Israël Mauss (; 10 May 1872 – 10 February 1950) was a French sociologist and anthropologist known as the "father of French ethnology". The nephew of Émile Durkheim, Mauss, in his academic work, crossed the boundaries between sociolo ...
who wanted to illustrate "the ethnographic history of Europe and humanity" from the origins of man up to the Middle Ages. Hubert conceived the general plan of this room according to two innovative ideas for the period:
:As a sociologist, he believed that only a global (spatial and temporal) vision of human cultures can lead to a proper understanding of the social phenomenon;
:For him, the comparison of the traces of human societies must be done according to a presentation of their technics.
This comparative approach was popular in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some comparisons did not survive a severe criticism (for example, the comparison of
Magdalenian
Magdalenian cultures (also Madelenian; ) are later cultures of the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic in western Europe. They date from around 17,000 to 12,000 years before present. It is named after the type site of Abri de la Madeleine, a ro ...
shoes with the
Eskimos), but the comparative method, which was rigorously conceived and subjected under certain conditions, is omnipresent in any archaeological approach. It is also a necessity to situate the ancient cultural phenomena in their space, to leave the limits of French territory and a nationalist approach.
At the National Archeology Museum, this approach has resulted in two overlapping axes of presentation:
On one axis of the room the technical stages are evoked in order of appearance from the Paleolithic to the Middle Ages: stone technics, terracotta work, metallurgy.
On the cross-cutting axes a geographical section is presented: Africa, Asia, the Near East, Europe, Americas and Oceania.
This course highlights the similarities and differences in the evolution of cultures in different regions of the world. The present presentation is inherited from that made by Hubert between 1910 and 1927 but the route was renovated between 1978 and 1984.
The visitor makes successively acquaintance with the Palaeolithic and Neolithic cultures of Africa (
Maghreb
The Maghreb (; ), also known as the Arab Maghreb () and Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb al ...
, South Africa, Ethiopia, Benin, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Zaire, etc.), then to the birth of the civilizations of the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East (
pre-dynastic Egypt, ancient
Susa
Susa ( ) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh River, Karkheh and Dez River, Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital o ...
, Bulgarian
Thrace
Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...
). Then he can compare the development and technical mastery of Bronze and Iron metalworkers in the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
and Europe (objects from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Azerbaijan, North Ossetia, etc.). From one continent to another and sometimes at different times, the exhibits show a similar state of development (transition from hunter-gatherer to producer), use of the same technique (Exploitation of flint or obsidian) or, on the contrary, very different forms or settings (Asia-America comparison, made possible by objects from China, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, Greenland, North America, etc.).
The majority of the collection entered before the First World War. The first contribution was the Scandinavian collection offered in 1862 by
Frederick VII of Denmark
Frederick VII (Frederik Carl Christian; 6 October 1808 – 15 November 1863) was King of Denmark from 1848 to 1863. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and the last monarch, king of Denmark to r ...
. The other major collections arrived through
Ernest Chantre for the series of the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
or Jacques and Henri de Morgan with the products of their excavations in Susa (modern day Iran) and in the pre-dynastic necropolis of Egypt
Since 2014, the room is once again home to collections of Pacific origin, with the presentation of ethnographic series from Papua New Guinea.
The comparative archeology room is located in the old ballroom of the castle, also called the room of Mars.
Visitors
The number of annual visitors from 2003 to 2014 were:
* 61,759 in 2003
* 64,775 in 2004
* 65,925 in 2005
* 78,250 in 2006
* 98,246 in 2007
* 110,197 in 2008 (experimentation with free admission for half of the year)
* 91,894 in 2009
* 95,594 in 2010
* 92,266 in 2011
* 98,691 in 2012
* 101,222 in 2013
* 113,023 in 2014
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
External links
Official site
{{Authority control
National museums of France
Archaeological museums in France
1862 establishments in France
Museums established in 1862
Museums in Yvelines