From Bougainville to current space missions, the exhibition “Exploration, une affaire d’état” retraces three centuries of military expeditions. Discover it at the Army Museum until August 16, 2026.
Three centuries of explorations
From the famous Bougainville expedition in 1766 to current space missions, the new exhibition “Exploration, une affaire d’état” at the Army Museum offers a historical dive into French expeditions. “In total, there are 250 works and over thirty lenders,” says Antoine Tromski, collections manager in the contemporary department of the Army Museum. Among the exhibited objects, expect everything: “from instruments to maps, to specimens collected during missions, ranging from mummified fish to vipers, turtles, or even a monkey,” he adds.
Explorations with political stakes
Through archives, scientific and technical objects, artworks, and testimonies, the exhibition sheds light on the political contexts in which these expeditions were conceived. It also shows the evolution of motivations over time: intellectual, commercial, and expansionist ambitions in the 18th century; scientific missions and territorial conquests in the 19th century; exploration of the seabed and space after World War II.
Practical information
– Location: Army Museum, 129 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris – Hours: from April 15 to August 16, every day from 10 am to 6 pm.
For more information, click here.
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