Heritage Days 2023
On the occasion of the 2023 Heritage Days, the Ecole des Mines de Paris (Mines Paris – PSL) offers free access to its heritage, on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September. Reserve your time slot to access this free national event here (reservations available between 10am and 4:45pm, for a visit duration of one hour).
The temporary exhibition “MINERALS: COLLECTOR ITEMS” is included in the tour.
Free visit, free access
On September 16 and 17, 2023, slots available from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Hôtel de Vendôme and gardens
The Ecole des Mines has been located since 1815 in the Hôtel de Vendôme, which was enlarged in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors will be able to discover the Vendôme building, its garden and the ongoing archaeological excavations.
Access from the orchid greenhouses in the Jardin du Luxembourg will be possible.
View of the site’s archaeological excavations
The archaeological site is located in the southern area of the ancient city of Lutetia, a few meters from ancient discoveries in the Mining School of ancient wells, an insula and important roads, such as the decumanus called “de l’Ecole des Mines” or the cardo du boulevard Saint-Michel, already identified in the 19th century. Archaeologists from Inrap and the City of Paris are currently studying the remains of a metallurgical furnace and uncovering vestiges of what could have been a forge during antiquity. The ceramic remains, some ornaments, notably bronze jewelry (fibula) and decorative elements (painted plaster), seem to indicate that, in addition to the artisanal nature of the site, the proximity of a domestic occupation cannot be ruled out.
From the windows of the Hôtel Vendôme, excavations will be visible and archaeologists from the City of Paris will lead a workshop.
Library
The reading room and its glass roof as well as the offices of the Bibliothèque de Mines Paris – PSL, decorated with period woodwork, open their doors on the occasion of these days. A selection of works of art, ancient books, manuscripts and archival documents will be proposed throughout the course.
On the occasion of the 240th anniversary of the School, the library will exhibit books and archives from the 18th to the 20th century retracing the history of Mines Paris – PSL and its contribution to the academic and scientific heritage.
Museum of Mineralogy
For more than 200 years, preserved in the setting of the Hôtel de Vendôme, the mineralogical collections of the Ecole des Mines de Paris are among the most complete and spectacular in the world. They contain some 100,000 samples, of which 4,000 are displayed: minerals, rocks, precious stones (including gems from the Crown Jewels of France), and meteorites are exhibited in an 80-meter gallery, with priceless historical and heritage cachet.
Exhibition “MINERALS: COLLECTIBLES”
The Museum of Mineralogy of the Ecole des Mines de Paris presents from September 6, 2023 to March 9, 2024 an unprecedented exhibition entitled “Minerals: Collector’s Items”. On the occasion of this event, the museum reveals secrets about the acquisition of its treasures accumulated over more than two centuries: gems, minerals, rocks, meteorites, art objects, all with prestigious pedigrees.