Maison de Banlieue et de l'Architecture

About the museum

The Maison de Banlieue et de l’Architecture grew out of a cultural and popular education project run by the Centre culturel associatif d’Athis-Mons. From the 1990s, this centre carried out projects on the history and memory of a social housing estate, and then on the growth of the commune’s detached-house estates, with exhibitions, publications and visits by school classes.

In 1999 the town made a 100 m² space available in the former mairie-école (town hall and school building): the Maison de Banlieue opened there, with a room for temporary exhibitions. In 2000 the municipality set up a Maison de l’architecture et de la ville nearby. The two bodies joined forces and, in June 2001, an independent association was founded. It defines itself as an interpretation centre for the urban environment, suburban heritage and architecture.

Its reference area covers Athis-Mons, Juvisy-sur-Orge and Paray-Vieille-Poste, extending to the Essonne département and the Grand-Orly Seine Bièvre area. In 2008 it received the Prix de l’Innovation patrimoniale from the Fédération des écomusées et musées de société. More than half of the public it reaches are school pupils or young people outside school hours.

Highlights

• Free-admission exhibition room on the suburbs and architecture
• Guided exhibition visits and urban walks
• Documentation centre, by appointment
• Review and booklets published by the association
• Workshops and visits for school classes

Founded

2001

Operated by

Association Maison de Banlieue et de l'Architecture

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission; groups and school classes come by appointment.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The exhibition room is on the ground floor and the entrance is accessible to wheelchair users; the toilets are not adapted.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Exhibition visits, loans of travelling exhibitions, urban walks and tailor-made projects for children and young people; the “Du village à la ville” activity for CM1 (fourth-grade) classes in the three communes. Children and young people make up around two thirds of the house’s visitors.

Getting there & parking

The house is on the Athis-Mons plateau, close to the town centre and next to the Simone de Beauvoir media library. By car: 15 km south of Paris via the RN7, take the avenue Marcel Sembat exit towards the town centre, then follow the grey signs.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit