The Museum of the Historical Collections of the
Prefecture of Police - Paris, France
2nd floor Rm. #203 Police Station
Rue De La Montagne
Off of Blvd. St. Germain
Metro Stop - Maubert - Mutualite
Monday - Friday 9-5
Saturday 10-5
Admission FREE
This museum created in 1909 by the Police Prefect Lepine is devoted to the Paris police history.
Originally, it was made up of the most remarkable items of the historical records of the Prefecture of
Police which are still rich enough in spite of the losses sustained during the fire which destroyed the Paris Town-Hall at the time of the "Commune".
Donations and acquisitions helped completing the collections exhibited.
The documents displayed (more than 2,000) some of which are unique, or rare, illustrate the important or small events the Paris police has taken a part in since the 16th Century up to now. Thereforeit is not surprising to find there
souvenirs of Paris history and of French history as well.
FORMER PREMISES
In 1909 the museum moved into the premises occupied at 36 Quai des Orfevres by the Records of the Prefecture of Police from which it is inseparable and it remained there until 1974.
NEW PREMISES
The spacious room devoted to the museum in the Central Police Buildings of the 5th ward
From there on, the many documents on display, all through the museum: manuscripts, prints, engravings, costumes, arms and
more particularly the bills which were sticked on the walls of capital to inform the Paris people of the police authorities' instructions, at a time when audio-visual media did not exist.
Our most gracious and friendly host was Philippe Laganier.
THE PARIS POLICE UNDER "THE OLD REGIME"
It is called forth through unique documents: the gaolbooks of the Conciergerie prison recording Ravaillac's incarceration on May 15th 1610, the arrest
of La Brinvilliers in 1676 by La Reynie "lieutenant general de poice", the incarceration of Damiens, of the Comtesse de la Motte (implicated in the case of the Queen Marie-Antoinette's necklace) and Louis XVI private seals.
The portraits and Heraldic arms of 14 "lieutenants generaux", the ancestors of the Police Prefects, who were at the head of the Paris police from 1667 to 1789 are exposed too.
THE PARIS POLICE DURING THE REVOLUTION
The documents concerning this period are rich and numerous. Beside the orders of arrest of Beaumarchais, Lavoisier, Josephine de Beauharnais, Charlotte Corday,
Danton, Mme Roland, unique documents are exposed in show-cases: The decree of the Convention Assembly issued on December 11th 1792 by which King Louis XVI is summoned to appear, the report on the Dauphin's post-mortem examination by
surgeon Pellatan, and the statement drawn up after this prince's burial.
THE PARIS POLICE SINCE 1800 (THE PREFECTURE OF POLICE WAS CREATED BY BONAPARTE) UNTIL TODAY
Among other unique documents you can see the order of
arrest of Fouche, Minister of the Imperial Police issued on March 16th 1815, the letter of Jules Simon, a minister addressed to Police Prefect Valentin on June 12th 1871, asking that the "Venus of Milo" statue should be taken out
from the cellars of the Prefecture of Police in which it had been hidden during the 1870 war and the "Commune", the book stained with Paul Doumer's blood, when murdered on May 6th 1932 by Gorguloff and the weapon used by the
latter.
The last part of the museum is dedicated to crime, theft and prostitution: collection of weapons used by criminals. The 17th Century Sword of Justice, two scale models of guillotines, a guillotine knife of the revolutionary
period, convicts' chains, handcuffs, and doors of cells of old Paris
New Collector Book on Badges
With Price Guide
Available Now!
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