Musée de l'Armée Museum

Address: Hôtel national des Invalides, 129 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris, France

Website: https://www.musee-armee.fr/

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

Admission: Adult admission approximately €14 (varies by exhibition)

Musée de l’Armée is France’s national military museum located within the Hôtel national des Invalides in Paris and is notable for its large collection of arms, uniforms and military art. The complex also houses the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte beneath the dome.

Large galleries present arms, armor, uniforms and objects tracing military history from the Middle Ages through the 20th century, arranged both chronologically and thematically. The domed church and Napoleon’s tomb are major single-site attractions, and the complex’s architecture and ceremonial spaces draw interest in addition to the museum displays.

The museum’s collections developed from earlier royal and national collections of armaments and military memorabilia and were consolidated into the present institution housed in the Invalides complex. The Hôtel des Invalides itself dates to the late 17th century, built as a residence and hospital for veterans under Louis XIV.

Set in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, the museum sits in the École Militaire / Invalides district on the Right Bank of the Seine, within central Paris and easily reached from other central landmarks.

• Napoleon’s tomb: Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb is located under the gold-domed church in the Hôtel national des Invalides complex and is a focal point for many visitors.
• Historical setting: The museum is housed within the 17th-century Hôtel national des Invalides complex, originally built as a veterans’ hospital and chapel under Louis XIV.

What to See#

• Dôme and tomb: The complex includes the Dôme des Invalides with Napoleon’s tomb beneath the dome and several large exhibition galleries that display arms, uniforms and military artifacts from medieval to modern periods.
• Permanent galleries: Permanent galleries cover arms and armor, uniforms and military history, with displays arranged chronologically and by theme to illustrate changing warfare and military culture.
• Artillery and plans collections: Associated collections also include historical artillery, maps and models that document fortifications and campaigns in French history.

Musée de l’Armée is housed in the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris’s 7th arrondissement. The easiest public-transit access is Invalides station (RER C and Métro lines 8 and 13), which is adjacent to the complex-expect a 1-5 minute walk from the station. By car it’s in central Paris on Esplanade des Invalides/Place Vauban; on-street parking is limited so public transit is recommended.

• Buy tickets online and arrive early-enter through the Cour d'Honneur side facing the Invalides courtyard to reach ticketing and the main galleries efficiently and avoid midday security queues.
• Set aside time to see both the Musée de l'Armée's galleries and the Dôme (Napoleon's Tomb); visitors who only tour the exhibits often miss the Dôme's architecture and the tomb's setting beneath the dome.
• Combine your visit with the nearby Musée des Plans-Reliefs and the Invalides courtyards-the small plan-relief collection and the exterior views toward the Seine/Eiffel Tower are frequently overlooked by visitors focused only on the main galleries.