The 350 years' cultural program
For the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Hôtel des Invalides, many events are planned during the year.
An exhibition, guided tours on the life of its residents and the building’s construction, multimedia tours and a 3D show will mark this year and will give the opportunity to the public to discover the different aspects of this exceptional and unique heritage site.
Events
La Nuit aux Invalides
Shows: from 18 July to 29 August 2020 in the main courtyard of the Invalides
Following the success of the summer 2019 edition, La Nuit aux Invalides is back with a new story to mark the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Hôtel National des Invalides.
Take a journey through 3,000 years of history in this timeless space, spanning the centuries from the Gauls to Louis XIV, from Napoleon to the men and military leaders who shaped yesterday’s Lutetia, the site of the Invalides and today’s Paris. The great voices of Jean Piat, André Dussolier and Céline Duhamel will depict this unique and grandiose open-air performance.
Multi-channel sound and cutting-edge 4K laser projectors will create an immersive experience that will bring the completely renovated courtyard to life.
The European Heritage Days
19 September and 20 September 2020
For this exceptional year, the museums and institutions of the Invalides are joining forces to throw open their doors and to invite visitors to see behind-the-scenes of the monument during the European Heritage days on 19 September and 20 September 2020.
Visitors will have two days to discover the private rooms and refectories, which are not usually open to public, as well as the collections and restoration workshops, through a wealth of guided tours, demonstrations and hands-on activities, a photo competition, and the preview unveiling of the photographic exhibition of war photographer Philippe de Poulpiquet, "Invalides: mémoires de guerre".
New tours
Les Invalides, 350 years of French history
Galleries surrounding the main courtyard.
The collections of the Musée de l'Armée are closely linked to the monument, as well as to the Institution nationale des Invalides. Founded by Louis XIV, the site bears the distinction of having preserved its original function as a hospital and nursing home.
The arrival of the Emperor Napoleon I's ashes and the opening of his tomb to the public sped up the process of establishing the Invalides as a heritage site culminating with its classification as a Historic Monument in 1862. Both a hospital and a military necropolis, the site is also home to national tributes, held in Saint Louis Cathedral.
The Military governor of Paris, the main ambassador of the French military, shares the site with 47 different agencies from five different ministries. The Musée de l'Armée has decided to present a new permanent educational tour dedicated to this outstanding architectural site, its history, its functions and its inhabitants, from the 17th century to the Fifth Republic, in the galleries sorrounding the main courtyard.
A new open-air tour
Upper galleries of the main courtyard
The restoration work on the facades and galleries of the main courtyard of the Invalides has given an opportunity to rethink appropriate ways of presenting the artillery and sculpture collections within these spaces.
A new museographical tour will include the presentation of remarkable Renaissance-era artillery, as well as the exhibition of artillery of the First and Second Empires alongside the collection of statues commemorating the imperial era.
Exhibitions
Invalides : Mémoires de guerre
19th September 2020 – 3th January 2021
A photo exhibition by Philippe de Poulpiquet
Philippe de Poulpiquet's documentary photography, commissioned by the Musée de l'Armée about the Institution Nationale des Invalides, the successor to the establishment founded by Louis XIV, focuses on the Hôtel's medical role.
With a particular interest in men and women who live and work at the Invalides, the photographer spent a year immersed in the daily life of the Institution. Conceived as a photographic record, this documentary focuses on the people who bring this place to life: veterans wounded in the wars of decolonisation or in Afghanistan, civilian victims of terrorist attacks, hospital staff, military authorities, etc.
Working in the broad field of documentary photography, this report fills an important gap, by treating the site's medical aspect from a different angle. On 3 September 2019, Philippe de Poulpiquet's documentary "Invalides: mémoires de guerre" was awarded the "Sergeant Sébastien Vermeille" prize.