Pavillons de Bercy – Musée des Arts forains

About the museum

The museum is the work of Jean Paul Favand, director of performing-arts and fairground heritage. It first settled in Gentilly, then in Paris's 15th arrondissement, before establishing itself in 1996 in the Bercy district, in former wine warehouses of the Lheureux house built in the 19th century. At the time, Bercy was a festive district where wine arrived by the Seine and by rail wagons to the warehouses; rails can still be seen in the museum's private street.

The Pavillons de Bercy comprise several rooms and outdoor spaces staged around the themes of spectacle and celebration: a cabinet of curiosities, a carnival, extraordinary gardens, a Belle Époque fairground, and Venetian salons. The settings rely on a collection of authentic 19th- and 20th-century objects, including rides, automata, puppets, toys and mechanical musical instruments. The site covers 11,400 m².

The museum is private and self-financed; it is known as a museum-spectacle, with no display cases or traditional labels. It is open all year only on guided tours by reservation, during which guide-actors operate the old attractions, and it opens for free visits during the Festival du Merveilleux at the end of the year. The rooms also host private and professional events.

Highlights

• Century-old rides and fairground attractions that visitors can try during the tour
• Collection of performance objects from the 19th and 20th centuries
• Guided tour with a guide-actor and mechanical musical instruments
• Venetian salons, the Théâtre du Merveilleux and an outdoor garden
• Festival du Merveilleux at year-end, with free visits and shows

Permanent exhibition

• Visite guidée du musée-spectacle des Arts forains – A 1 hour 30 minute tour through several rooms devoted to fairground arts, the cabinet of curiosities, the carnival and extraordinary gardens.

Founded

1996

Operated by

Les Pavillons de Bercy (musée privé)

Director

Jean Paul Favand

Admission & discounts

Prices are for French-language guided tours and include a €0.80 online purchase fee. Tickets are neither exchangeable nor refundable. The museum states that it is a private, fully self-financed museum; ICOM and ICOMOS cards are not accepted, and a press card does not entitle the holder to free admission (except for accredited journalists who have booked an appointment).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The whole venue is on one level and accessible to visitors with reduced mobility, with a paved street linking one room to the next. Guide dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & familiesRecommended for ages 5+

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

A guided tour is recommended from age 5, with the chance to try a century-old ride; the Festival du Merveilleux for families at year-end. The museum notes that the visit is lively, but some moments may seem long to younger children. Groups of children under 12 are not accepted for safety reasons; the 19th-century rides were mainly intended for adults, and younger children ride accompanied.

Getting there & parking

The museum is close to the boulevard périphérique, exits Porte de Bercy and voie Georges Pompidou. Vélib' stations Pirogues de Bercy – Libourne and Terroirs de France – Lheureux. Metro line 14 may occasionally be closed: check your route before booking.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop: not available
• Coat check: not available
• Lockers: not available

No restaurant or bar all year, no shop all year round, no cloakroom or lockers; luggage is not allowed. During the Festival du Merveilleux, light refreshments and a pop-up shop are set up.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 4,000 guests.

Four single-level, flexible rooms for 40 to 4,000 people (conference, seated meal, cocktail); the venue is ISO 20121 certified for events. Request a quote via the website.

Plan your visit