Musée de la Bible et Terre Sainte
Small archaeology museum of the Institut catholique de Paris presenting everyday objects from Palestine; closed for renovation, reopening announced for 2026.
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About the museum
The collection was assembled from the 1960s by Canon Leconte and Abbé Starcky, through purchases made during their stays in Palestine. It belongs to the association Bible et Terre Sainte, which has regularly enriched it through donations and bequests. In 1969 Monsignor Haubtmann, rector of the Institut catholique de Paris, welcomed it into the premises on rue d'Assas.
The museum displayed objects illustrating daily life in the lands of the Bible across the centuries. It showed around 600 pieces, out of a total of some 3,000 including storage. Highlights included a stone mask over 9,000 years old, 1st-century jars from Jordan, stone tablets with cuneiform inscriptions, an Egyptian papyrus, a fragment of a Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript, and oil lamps.
The museum is closed to the public for renovation. In 2026 the Institut catholique de Paris announced the reopening of the Musée archéologique des pays de la Bible, with more than 4,000 objects, including 1,250 objects and 2,800 coins. It is presented as an educational space for discovering the material culture of the ancient Near East. No public reopening date has been specified.
Highlights
- Archaeological collection from the lands of the Bible
- Stone mask more than 9,000 years old
- Cuneiform tablets and Egyptian papyrus
- Fragment of a Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript
- Collection of ancient coins
- Founded
- 1969
- Operated by
- Association Bible et Terre Sainte, à l'Institut catholique de Paris
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | Visits take place within the Institut catholique de Paris. The museum hosted student groups in 2026; no public opening hours have been announced. |
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