Collections consultation rooms

History and Missions

The National Archaeology Museum was originally conceived by Napoleon III to house the findings of excavations conducted during the Second Empire and to serve as a driving force for archaeological research and the dissemination of knowledge.

In keeping with this tradition and spirit, the MAN is committed to preserving its collections and making them available for study by researchers (students and professionals) from the national and international scientific community.

The collections held at the MAN are public collections. As such, they are accessible for study in accordance with proper conservation practices, as well as subject to their availability and that of the professionals responsible for them.

How do I request access to the collections?

The reading room and its operations are overseen by the Collections Management Department of the National Museum of Archaeology.

The collections located in the areas currently under renovation have been repackaged in accordance with standards for preventive conservation and computerized collection management. They have been distributed between our two conservation sites according to their type: works of art, objects made of organic materials, and metal objects are available for consultation at the museum; bulky items, fauna, and lithic artifacts are stored in our off-site storage facilities in Cormeilles-en-Parisis.

In this new context, we invite researchers to carefully prepare their request when completing the collection consultation request form.

Steps to Follow

• 1- Contact the curator responsible for the collection related to your request via email to obtain their academic approval.
  Contact information can be found on the Contacts page under the “Academic Division” section.
•  2- Once you have received their approval, download the collection consultation request form.
  To assist you, you can explore all the resources for exploring the collections offered by the MAN:
  The Documentary Resources Department offers extensive resources in its scientific library collections, archival holdings, and iconographic collections.
  The ATOM database allows you to consult the inventories of archival holdings and collections under the responsibility of the SRD, as well as collections of sources resulting from research programs in which it has participated.
  The Grand Palais - Réunion des Musées Nationaux Photo Agency provides access to a large collection, allowing you to find objects by their inventory number.
• 3- Send your Collection Consultation Request Form, duly completed and signed, by mail or electronically, to the curator of the relevant collections, at least two months before your planned visit date.

Please note!

    The document is considered definitively approved only upon signature by the curator in charge of the collections and the head of the research department.
    Only the items requested for consultation will be made available.

Scheduling an Appointment in the Collections Reading Room

Researchers must schedule an appointment with the Collections Management Office via email, attaching the signed collections consultation request form, at least two months prior to the requested consultation date.

Contact:
Florent Mathias
Head of the Collections Reading Room
Collections Management Department
33 (01) 39 10 13 08

On the day of your appointment
Please report to the museum reception desk. A receptionist will provide you with a visitor pass in exchange for your ID.

Filming and Seminars

The collection viewing room may be reserved for the exclusive use of a film shoot or seminar, provided that the request is made at least three months in advance of the desired date and subject to our availability.

We ask that the seminar organizer, who wishes to use the collections as visual aids for a presentation, complete the collections consultation request form and include a list of participants.