Search
Art & Culture

France’s Only Museum Dedicated to Medieval Art Unveils Seven-Year Overhaul

Nestled in Paris’s historic Latin Quarter, the Musée de Cluny has been totally revamped by noted French architect Bernard Desmoulin

By Geoffrey Montes
Spacious interior with ancient columns and detailed stone carvings, surrounded by rustic brick walls in a historic building.
The Musée de Cluny has been totally revamped by noted French architect Bernard Desmoulin. Photo: Musée de Cluny

Tucked away in the historic Latin Quarter in Paris, the Musée de Cluny—France’s only museum dedicated to medieval art—captivates visitors looking to immerse themselves in ancient treasures. Its labyrinthine campus, however, never felt fully unified. That all changed a decade ago, when architect Bernard Desmoulin began a major renovation aimed at knitting together the institution’s vast public spaces, including some of the largest Roman ruins in Northern Europe. Recently reopened, the museum features Desmoulin’s reoriented floor plan, which showcases the collection’s 1,600 artifacts in chronological order, from late antiquity to the Romanesque and Gothic periods, and ending at the Renaissance.

Modern building of Musée de Cluny in Paris, featuring a mix of stone and metal with ancient Roman ruins in the foreground.
The facade is fabricated with cast-iron detailing which exhibits constant changes in hue with the passing of the sun. Photo: Musée de Cluny
Museum exhibit featuring medieval armor, shields, and stained glass on display against a white wall in a well-lit room.
Salle 18 features historic combat arts. Photo: Musée de Cluny
Museum room displaying four large, ornate medieval tapestries depicting mythical scenes with trees and figures on dark walls.
Salle de la Dame à la Licorne. Photo: Musée de Cluny
Courtyard of a historic stone building with arched entrances, ornate decorations, and clear blue sky background.
The courtyard of the original hotel on site. Photo: Musée de Cluny

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2022 Summer Issue under the headline “The Artful Life.” Subscribe to the magazine.