Heritage Days 2026
Discover the living heritage of Mines Paris – PSL
On the occasion of the European Heritage Days (JEP) 2026, Mines Paris – PSL opens the doors of its historic building, the Hôtel de Vendôme, on Saturday, September 19, 2026. This visit offers the public the opportunity to discover an exceptional heritage, composed of its library, its museum of mineralogy, its garden, but also to better understand the great missions that animate today the School. This 2026 edition offers a free and open-access trail, allowing you to explore a place where more than two centuries of history are combined with scientific research resolutely turned towards the future. One of the oldest engineering schools in France, Mines Paris – PSL fosters dialogue between heritage, education, innovation, and research, pursuing the same ambition: to put science at the service of society’s major challenges.
Attention PMR: due to the historical configuration of the building, the tour route is unfortunately not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
A heritage at the service of today’s challenges
Throughout the visit, discover how the history of the School is fully integrated into contemporary issues. Ecological transition, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, mineral resources, health or industrial sovereignty: the research conducted at Mines Paris – PSL answers the major scientific, technological and societal questions of our time.
Mediation panels and videos will punctuate the course to highlight this research work and show how an establishment founded in the 18th century continues to invent tomorrow’s solutions, in close partnership with industrial and institutional actors.
The Hôtel de Vendôme
Since 1815, Mines Paris – PSL has been housed in the Hôtel de Vendôme, a private mansion built at the beginning of the 18th century and gradually extended in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1783 by Louis XVI on the advice of the chemist and mineralogist Balthazar Sage, the school responded to the strategic needs of the French mining industry.
Today, true to this tradition of scientific excellence at the service of society, Mines Paris – PSL trains engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs who will contribute to meeting the major challenges of the 21st century. Its historic building bears witness to this evolution and tells more than two centuries of scientific history.
The library
With its monumental glass roof and beautiful woodwork, the library is one of the most remarkable spaces of the school. It preserves an important documentary heritage composed of ancient works and rare collections, while relying today on vast digital resources.
A true crossroads of knowledge produced by training and research, it participates in the dissemination, conservation and enhancement of scientific knowledge developed within Mines Paris – PSL.
The Mineralogy museum
Created more than two centuries ago, the Museum of Mineralogy houses one of the most important mineralogical collections in the world. It brings together nearly 100,000 samples, including about 5,000 exposed: minerals, rocks, meteorites, gems and fossils.
Beyond the rich heritage of its collections, the museum sheds light on fully contemporary issues, notably those related to critical metals, rare earths and the sustainable management of mineral resources essential for the energy and digital transitions.
The school’s garden
Exceptionally open to the public on the occasion of the European Heritage Days, the Jardin de l’Ecole offers a moment of calm in the heart of the 6th arrondissement of Paris. From this usually inaccessible space, visitors will be able to admire the rear facade of the Hôtel de Vendôme, its terrace, as well as privileged views of the Luxembourg garden and the Senate greenhouses.
Practical information: – Free – mandatory reservation – Saturday, September 19, 2026 – From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Self-guided tour – General public Photos/videos will be taken during this event. By registering, you accept that they are used by Mines Paris – PSL for any communication (site, minutes, activity reports, RS, newsletters, etc.). If you object, please let us know on the day of the event.