Carnavalet Museum

The Carnavalet is the city museum of Paris, housed in two merged Renaissance mansions in the Marais that the city acquired in 1866. It traces the capital from Gallo-Roman Lutetia to the present day. Its most famous holdings cover the French Revolution: original decrees, furniture from the Bastille, and personal belongings of the royal family in their final months. Marcel Proust's cork-lined bedroom has been reconstructed inside. Reopened in 2021 after a long renovation, the museum displays around 3,800 objects chronologically across all eras. Admission to the permanent collection is free. The courtyard gardens and Renaissance facade sculptures reward a slow walk through the complex.