Cité nationale de l'histoire de l'immigration Museum

Address: Palais de la Porte Dorée - 293 avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris, France

Website: https://www.histoire-immigration.fr/

Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm, closed Mondays

The Cité nationale de l’histoire de l’immigration is a national museum in Paris dedicated to the history and contemporary issues of immigration in France. It is located in the Palais de la Porte Dorée and presents exhibitions, archives, and public programmes that explore migration histories and cultural contributions.

Galleries cover historical migration flows, everyday life, integration policies, and cultural expression, using objects, photographs, and testimony-based displays. The museum also develops outreach and educational activities focused on contemporary social issues.

The museum operates within the Palais de la Porte Dorée, an Art Deco building that houses related institutional space and services, and collaborates with other cultural and research bodies concerned with migration and diversity.

The site is located on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes in eastern Paris, in the 12th arrondissement, with direct access from nearby metro stations.

• Building and focus: Housed in the Art Deco Palais de la Porte Dorée, the institution combines a permanent exhibition with temporary displays and educational programmes about immigration and its cultural impacts in France.

The Cité nationale de l’histoire de l’immigration is housed in the Palais de la Porte Dorée on Avenue Daumesnil at the eastern edge of Paris. Take Métro line 8 to Porte Dorée station - the museum is directly adjacent (about a 1-2 minute walk). Tram line T3a also stops at Porte Dorée, providing easy surface access.

By car it is about 5-6 km east of central Paris (Île de la Cité); approach via Boulevard Périphérique (exit near Porte de Charenton) and Avenue Daumesnil. Street access is straightforward but central Paris traffic and parking can be limited.

• Use the Porte Dorée metro (line 8) and enter through the Palais de la Porte Dorée - the station is immediately adjacent and is the most convenient access point.
• Plan your visit for mid-afternoon on weekdays if you want to avoid large school-group peaks that often arrive in the morning; check the museum's schedule for guided tours and special programmes.
• Don't skip a quick look at the building itself (Palais de la Porte Dorée) - its exterior bas-reliefs and interior decorative details are part of the experience and are often overlooked.