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One of the oldest museums dedicated to Paris’s story, Musée Carnavalet opened in 1880 in the Renaissance Hôtel Carnavalet (built 1548–1560) and expanded over time—including the annexation of Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau in 1989. Closed for major renovations in 2016, it reopened in March 2021 with rich new displays and modernized visitor paths, offering over 625,000 artifacts chronicling Paris from prehistory to today.

Housed since 1903 in the very apartment where Victor Hugo lived from 1832 to 1848, the museum emerged thanks to the generosity of writer friend Paul Meurice, who donated his collections to Paris. Hugo wrote iconic works like Les Misérables and Ruy Blas within these walls. After major renovations (closed 2019–2020), the house now welcomes visitors with restored rooms, a pedagogical space, and a café overlooking the courtyard.