In a city replete with museums—from heavy-hitters like the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay to modern art venues like Centre Pompidou and Fondation Louis Vuitton—the Monnaie de Paris is a cultural gem that still manages to remain quietly undiscovered. The Monnaie de Paris, tucked along the banks of the Seine in the chic and historic 6th arrondissement district, is one of the city’s most surprising secrets. Founded in 864 AD, it is Europe’s oldest continuously operating institution, born of an edict by King Charles II, known as Charles the Bald. Nearly twelve centuries later, its legacy continues to pulse through the very heart of Paris.
Stepping inside the sprawling 18th-century Hôtel de la Monnaie (as it is known today) feels like walking through a time portal. Designed by the architect Jacques-Denis Antoine, built during the reign of Louis XV, the museum commands attention with its grand neoclassical façade. Inside, the air carries a faint metallic tang—a reminder that this is not just a museum but an operational coin minting workshop, where artistry and industry still meet every day. Within its historic walls, stands a modern museum that showcases how, over the centuries, coins evolved from Roman times to the French Revolution to the modern Euro. Peer at rare specimens glinting under glass, some engraved with monarchs long gone, others commemorating revolutions, wars, and peace. Just next to coin exhibitions, minting tools, printing presses, and centuries-old engravings line the halls. The workshops, with their interactive devices and designed activities, give you a slice of life in the old minting press.
In 1691, there were 27 manufacturing workshops throughout France, but their number declined gradually and by 1878, the Paris mint was the only one left standing—its artisans working with the same precision that once supplied the royal treasury. Though the mint’s primary production was relocated in 1973 to Pessac near Bordeaux, it’s still operational here as a museum. For over 12 centuries, it has struck the coins, medals, and official decorations of France and continues this legacy even today at the left bank district.
The most interesting section is where you can watch the artisans at work. Along the loud hammering of metal, the rhythm of traditional craftsmanship still echoes through these ateliers. Through wide glass windows, visitors can watch artisans at work—hammering, polishing, and striking medals with meditative precision. Molten metal glows and flows like liquid before being cooled and shaped into artistic coins—bridging centuries old tradition and modern design.
But one of the museum’s newest treasures gleams at the heart of the collection: the gold, silver, and bronze medals of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed and struck by the Monnaie de Paris, these symbols of national pride now rest beneath glass, manifesting the artistry of the mint. Despite its grand history, Monnaie de Paris offers an intimate experience compared to its crowded counterparts. This is not simply an exhibit of artifacts and old coins, but a place where creation still happens before the naked eyes.