Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation, Photography museum in Le Marais, Paris, France
The Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation is a photography museum in the Marais district of Paris, housed in a converted garage on Rue des Archives. The building holds exhibition rooms on several floors, along with a research library open to those studying photography and related documents.
Henri Cartier-Bresson, Martine Franck and their daughter Mélanie founded the institution, recognised as being of public utility in March 2002. It opened on 29 April 2003 at 2 impasse Lebouis in Montparnasse, in a 1913 artist's studio building. In summer 2018 it moved to 79 rue des Archives in the Marais, into a former garage converted by the Lobjoy-Bouvier-Boisseau firm, and was inaugurated on 6 November 2018 with a Martine Franck retrospective.
The foundation takes its name from Henri Cartier-Bresson, the French photographer who shaped how street photography is seen as an art form. The exhibition rooms are designed to let the photographs speak on their own terms, without distractions.
The foundation sits in the Marais, a neighborhood easy to explore on foot, and two Metro stations are close by. It is worth checking opening times before visiting, as they can change depending on which exhibition is running.
Although the foundation is dedicated to Henri Cartier-Bresson's legacy, it regularly shows work by other photographers from around the world. This means a visit can offer work far beyond what most people expect when they first walk in.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,342 contributors worldwide.
