Are you passing through the capital? The Musée du Quai Branly is undoubtedly one. A true gateway to arts and cultures, he makes you discover the world of the other four continents of the world.
The Musée du Quai Branly became a must when visiting the capital. Despite his "young age" he opened on June 23, 2006. Its originality is largely based on its objective, which is to introduce and promote the arts and cultures of the four continents other than Europe: Africa, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. In addition to permanent collections, many temporary exhibitions are organized throughout the year. It is also a very modern museum, which wants to be accessible by offering multiple media possibilities to its visitors. In this article, you will have all the information you need to visit the Musée du Quai Branly!
History of the Quai Branly Museum
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The idea of this museum germinated in the spirit of Jacques Chirac in 1998, following his encounter with Jacques Kerchache, art collector and primitive art expert. The will of its creation is based on the following fact: " [...] There is no more hierarchy between the arts and cultures that there is no hierarchy between the peoples. It is first of all this conviction, that of the equal dignity of the world’s cultures, which founded the Musée du Quai Branly (extracted from the speech by Jacques Chirac, President of the Republic, on June 20, 2006 at the inauguration of the Musée du Quai Branly). The aim of the museum is to allow the richness, beauty and differences of cultures of other continents to be seen.
A budget of one billion francs is allocated to the project. In 1999, an architectural competition was organized to designate the director of the building. It is Jean Nouvel which will be chosen, largely for its original approach: It is a museum built around a collection " He therefore thought of a sleek building, spread over five levels.
The Musée du Quai Branly is known to have one of the most important plant walls in the world. Created in 2004, it covers a surface of over a thousand square meters and is composed of plants from all over the world, in line with the collections presented, which gather nearly three hundred thousand objects.
What to see and do at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris?
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Different spaces
The Musée du Quai Branly offers different spaces to discover the world's arts and cultures.
- The collection tray
These are collections throughout the year. The museography is fluid. You can also discover the contemporary work The River realized by Charles Sandinson, an installation on words and differences and animated by software.
- The reserve of musical instruments
The Quai Branly Museum brought together nearly ten thousand instruments from the world in its reserve. Presentations on six levels, they are subject to scrupulous conservation. Work is carried out between April 2019 and early 2020 to improve this space.
- Temporary exhibitions
Four spaces, representing close to forty-five per cent of the area of the museum, welcome temporary exhibitions (around ten per year): The Martine Ablet workshop (or central mezzanine), the mezzanine is, the mezzanine west and the garden gallery.
- The theatre Claude Lévi-Strauss
The Lévi-Strauss theatre hosts concerts, symposiums and shows. Again, his vocation is to create bridges between the different arts and cultures of the world. The lectures given at the University of Popular are in free access.
- Cinema
A cinema room has also been installed. Films related to the events and exhibitions of the Quai Branly Museum are broadcast. The programming is available on the website.
- Media library and reading salon Jean Kerchache
The media library is known to have the best references in ethnology. It also offers CDs, DVDs, old exhibition catalogues. It houses documents considered to be part of the heritage, as well as some photographs.
Activities and visiting materials
- Workshops
The Quai Branly Museum also offers workshops for children, from three years old, on different themes. Exceptionally, an escape game is organized on certain dates (from fifteen years).
- Discovery guides
If you are visiting the Quai Branly Museum for the first time, the discovery guide is for you. Free download (PDF) allows you to approach permanent collections in a playful way. A booklet for children aged seven to twelve is also available, as well as a guide for the garden.
- Audioguides
Various courses are available on audioguides: visits to permanent collections, temporary exhibitions, for adults and families (children from six years old).
- The Transmaster application
For technology enthusiasts, a free mobile app has been developed: Transmitter. Through puzzles, you embark on an initiatory quest with the works of the museum!
- The application Experts Quai Branly
For children, this application is in sign language. An iPad is lent free of charge by the museum to be able to follow the adventures of an ethnologist (faux) Laurent.
How to go to the Quai Branly Museum in Paris (plans, sense of visit, access,...)
The Musée du Quai Branly is very accessible, no matter how you move.
- By car : you can rent an Autolib and park it at one of the two stations near the museum.
- Velib : there too, a station is right next to it (number 7023 – Quai Branly).
- In batobus (stop) Eiffel Tower)
- To park : a parking lot of more than five hundred squares was built just under the museum.
- By metro : Line 9 – Alma Marceau stop (ten minutes walk), Line 8 – Military school (fifteen minutes walk), Line 6 – Bir Hakeim (fourteen minutes walk)
- RER : RER C – Station Champs de mars Tour Eiffel (three minutes walk)
- By bus line 42 Stop Eiffel Tower (three minutes walking), lines 92, 80, 42, 63 Stop Bosquet-Rapp (six minutes walking), lines 82 and 69 Stop Champs de Mars (ten minutes walking).
To be determined : for the RER, the Pont de l’Alma station is only a few minutes away, but is closed until the end of August 2019.
Timetables & Rates of the Quai Branly Museum
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Kiev.Victor
Schedule
The Musée du Quai Branly is open all year round, including holidays, except for Christmas and May 1. Closing hours can be changed on Christmas Eves and the New Year’s Day.
- Closed on Mondays
- Tuesday — Wednesday — Friday — Saturday — Sunday from 10:30 to 7:00
- Thursday from 10:30 to 22:00
Rates
- Free for under 26 years
- Rate (permanent schools and temporary exhibitions): 12 €
- Reduced price (permanent schools and temporary exhibitions): 9 €
- Audioguide : 5 € (reduced price 3 €)
Note : There is a Youth pass, destined for 18/25 years. For fifteen euros, he gives the member access for a year to the museum, and he can take a person of his choice. It allows to have discounts on shows and other events, and serves as a cut-file.
BON A LEARN
- On the first Sunday of each month, the museum is open for free.
- The Quai Branly Museum is part of the museums Paris Museum Pass.
- In the summer, the panoramic roof is made accessible to the public. You can go up there to admire the Eiffel Tower in a new day! Admission is free if you purchased a ticket for the museum, access alone costs three euros.
- Bags of large capacity and cabin baggage are not accepted in the museum.
- The Musée du Quai Branly is open all year round. For other spaces, such as the reading room or the media library, contact the museum to check if they are accessible, especially during the summer.
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