Loans

Before the application

We ask curators to contact the scientific teams of the Musée de l’Armée before submitting a loan application. In order to efficiently process an application, it is important to contact the person in charge of the collection you are enquiring about. We also advise you to discuss the material conditions of the loan during this preliminary contact.

Making an application

The official loan application letter must be sent, by post only, at least 6 months before the opening date of the exhibition and addressed to the management of the Musée de l’Armée at the following address: 

Général Henry de Medlege
Directeur du Musée de l’Armée
Hôtel National des Invalides
129 rue de Grenelle
75700 Paris 07 SP

France

Content of the application:

• name of the institution requesting the loans and of the person responsible for the exhibition project (director and/or curator(s) of the exhibition),
• title of the exhibition,
• dates, venues, and additional details in the event of a travelling exhibition (if the schedule is yet to be finalised, the total duration of the exhibition should at the very least be specified for reasons of preventive conservation),
• list of works with their inventory number,
• synopsis of the exhibition,
• facility report,
• telephone numbers and email addresses of all useful contacts (curator, exhibition officer, manager, etc.).

It is also advisable to specify whether the exhibition will be published or not.

In the event of a travelling exhibition, it is mandatory to submit a grouped application stating the dates, venues and exhibition managers for each destination.

Review of the application

Upon receipt of the official letter, an acknowledgment receipt of the application will be sent by email to the borrower by the loans department of the Musée de l’Armée, which is responsible for processing and monitoring loan applications.

Every two weeks a loans committee made up of the director, deputy director, curators and heads of departments, and the collections management rules on formal loan applications.

The loans committee rules on scientific projects, as well as the conditions of presentation and transport.

The loans committee’s decision will be communicated to organisers by post, together with the following documents:

• in the event of a favourable opinion on all or part thereof: 

1. the loan agreement letter,
2. the loan agreement,

• in the event of an unfavourable opinion on the entire application: 

1. a letter of refusal stating the grounds for the decision.

Borrower’s costs and obligations

Costs to be borne by the borrower :

• insurance costs for the loaned items,
• costs incurred for packing, transporting, and installing the items, which shall be entrusted to a company specialised in the transport of works of art,
• the costs involved in restoring and basing some of the pieces for which the loan has been granted, if applicable,
• accommodation, transport and per diems for the conveyor designated by the Musée de l’Armée.

Transport

The choice of transport must be approved by the loans department of the Musée de l’Armée, which will provide specific packaging and transport recommendations to the selected transport provider.

Provision and return of the works

With the exception of special cases, items may not be exhibited for more than three months.
The loaned objects may leave the Musée de l’Armée at the earliest two weeks before the exhibition opens to the public for loans in France and Europe, and four weeks at the earliest for those outside Europe.

Loaned objects will be returned to the Musée de l’Armée as soon as possible, and at the latest two weeks after the end of the exhibition for loans in France and Europe, and four weeks at the latest for loans outside Europe.

Amendments to the loan application

In order to make any amendments to the list of loaned objects, you will need to send a new letter by post, addressed to the management of the Musée de l’Armée. Any changes will result in an amendment to the agreement.

Cancellation of the loan

The cancellation of any loan made by the Musée de l’Armée must be notified in writing and in a timely manner. The costs on processing operations already incurred (restoration, framing, etc.) will remain the responsibility of the borrower.

Copies of catalogues

The borrower must send three copies of the catalogue or publication published for the exhibition to the documentation centre of the Musée de l’Armée, free of charge and at the following address:

Centre de documentation du Musée de l’Armée
À l’attention de Mme Annabelle Mathias
Hôtel National des Invalides
129 rue de Grenelle
75700 Paris 07 SP AP

France

Reproduction

Requests for reproductions should be sent to the photographic department of the Réunion des Musées Nationaux – Grand Palais at the following address: 

Agence photographique de la RMN
254-256 rue de Bercy
75012 Paris

France