Musée national des Arts et Traditions Populaires

The Musée national des Arts et Traditions Populaires was a national museum in Paris housed in a modern building near the Jardin d'Acclimatation, designed by architect Jean Dubuisson. It contained exhibition galleries and research facilities dedicated to French folk traditions and rural culture.

The museum was founded in 1937 by Georges-Henri Rivière as the French section of the Trocadéro's Musée de l'Homme, then moved to its own building in 1969. It operated from that location until closing in 2005, when its collection was relocated to Marseille.

The collections showed how people lived and worked in French countryside settings through everyday objects like furniture and farm tools. They captured traditions and daily practices from rural communities across different regions.

The site is no longer open to visitors as it closed in 2005. Those interested in the collections can view them at the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations in Marseille, where the entire collection was transferred.

The original building is undergoing renovation led by architect Frank Gehry, who is collaborating with Thomas Dubuisson, grandson of the original architect Jean Dubuisson. This partnership connects the site's history with contemporary architectural vision.

Location: Marseille

Inception: 1937

Official opening: 1937

Part of: Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations

Website: https://mucem.org/fr

GPS coordinates: 48.87722,2.26778

Latest update: December 18, 2025 11:40