Musée de l'Armée-Paris
Constructed quickly (mostly completed between 1671 and 1674), the Hôtel National des Invalides initially accommodated injured and elderly soldiers that Louis XIV wished provide care for at the end of their lives, as its name indicates.
In its current form, the autonomous public establishment that is the Army Museum took shape in 1905. That year, a decree brought together three preexisting institutions: the Artillery Museum (founded in 1796), the military necropolis (founded in 1802 and only truly organised starting from 1840, which marked the return of the Emperor’s ashes) and the historical Army Museum, founded in 1896 at Sabretache’s initiative – a cultural initiative that was part of the Revenge movement (born out of the defeat of 1870).
Today, the Museum welcomes between 1.2 and 1.3 million visitors annually, directly employs 170 individuals (with over 70 additional subcontractors) and has a consolidated annual budget of 26.5 million euros.
Prestigious partners
“Our functioning is 75% self-sufficient, and the rest is taken care of by an operations subsidy of around 5 million euros. That puts us at the top of the list of automous public institutions in France, and last year we also hosted more events than any other French museum,” boasts Robert Bresse, Army Museum director since 1 October 2003, and former member of the 1st and 9th parachutist regiments, and the 126th infantry regiment. With its 32,000 m2, including 28,500 m2 in the Invalides (the rest is at Versailles), the Army Museum takes in more than 500,000 euros annually renting out space and associated products, which represents its third-biggest source of revenue. The institution regularly signs partnership agreements with such prestigious establishments as Chubb, CIC (Crédit industriel et commercial), Doublet, HEC, JLO Productions, Medef Paris-Île-de-France, Renault, Saint-Gobain, Sisley and more.
These establishments, as well as other, non-client partners, organise all sorts of events, from Saturday baptism ceremonies in the Saint-Louis des Invalides church to a concert for thousands at the annual Fête de la musique (21 June), as well as cocktails, dinners, seminars, business events and more. Events can bring together as many as 4-5,000 people. One hundred or so concerts are organised annually, of which 60% are produced by the institution and 40% coproduced in partnership with embassies. The exceptional setting of the Invalides never ceases to seduce new clients. “Next year, we’ll be hosting events ranging from open-air opera performances of George Bizet’s Carmen to the Eurosatory salon cocktail in the month of June,” confirms General Bresse.
Well-equipped sites
For each event, the Army Museum provides a list of authorized caterers, from
entry-level to upscale names: Butard Enescot, Cocktails et Communication, Dalloyau, Duval, Fleur de Mets, Grand Chemin, Lenôtre, Parfums et Saveurs, Potel & Chabot, Riem Becker, Saint-Clair and more. Each room is adapted to a certain type of event. The Grand Salon (170 m2) and the Quesnoy Salons (150 m2) are ideal for cocktails or dinners. The Austerlitz auditorium is equipped with a computer-controlled multimedia set complete with sound and image system, as well as a complete simultaneous translation system – in three languages – for conferences being held. The Turenne Hall is less often available, as it is frequently used for temporary exhibitions, and the Arsenal is reserved for the Museum’s privileged partners. Whatever room you choose, don’t forget to book… at least six months ahead of time!
Room rental: capacity and rates
• Grand Salon: 120 seated places (dinner) and 300 for cocktails, 8,500 euros
• Quesnoy Salons: 2 x 40 seated places (dinner) and 150 for cocktails, 4,000 euros
• Austerlitz Auditorium: 150 seated places, 3,000 euros/day
• Price to light up the Cour d’honneur (Courtyard of Honour): 100 euros.
Rates VAT-exempt
Source: Army Museum - Hôtel national des Invalides (September 2009)
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