The Gervan Museum is considered one of theTop attractions in Paris for kids (after Eiffel Tower וDisneyland Paris, of course), and when I came to visit there in 2023, I expected to find mainly cultural heroes related to the world of children and youth (famous soccer players, characters from children's movies, etc.).
Indeed, I found all of these there, but I also found quite a few characters from my “world,” starting with historical figures (kings France, famous singers who have died long ago, and more) to Stephane Berne himself (the man who became famous thanks to the television programs he makes about historical places in France, and he is, for me, a hero and a role model).
Beyond all this, the Gervan Museum has an interesting history and its location is perfect for those who want to do Passages tour in Paris, so even if you don't have children and haven't had the chance to visit this museum yet, I highly recommend including this museum in your travel plan.
In this article, you will learn how the museum was created and its connection to its more famous little brother, Madame Tussauds in London. In the second part of the article, I will tell you what to expect at the museum, and finally, you will find all the practical information for visiting it (address, opening hours, tickets, etc.).
The story of the Gervan Museum
Who was the world's first wax museum? No, the Gervan Museum cannot take that title, nor can Madame Tussauds in London (and certainly not the late Irish Wax Museum in the Shalom Tower, which is remembered fondly).
The first wax museum was created by a Swiss man named Jean Christophe Curtis (1741-1794), in the city of Bern in 1760. The Prince de Conti (1717-1776 Louis François, Prince de Conti), who belonged to the Bourbon-Conti branch of the French royal dynasty, was very enthusiastic about Jean Christophe's work and suggested that he open a similar museum in Paris.
The museum opened in Paris in 1765 and in his honor created a wax statue of Madame du Barry, the last mistress of Louis XV. This statue is considered, to this day, the oldest wax statue in existence today. In 15, the museum moved to thePalais Royal And later he opened a museum where Boulevard de Temple is today.
To help him with his craft, Jean-Christophe taught his niece Marie Gresholtz (1761-1850) the art of wax doll making, and she received quite a bit of “training” during her time there. French Revolution, when she created wax dolls based on severed heads, who lost their lives on the guillotine.
In 1794, at the height of the Reign of Terror, Jean-Christophe died (surprisingly of natural causes) and Marie inherited his business. In 1795, she married François Tussaud, closed her Paris business, moved to London, and opened the famous wax museum there, which bears her name.
Despite the success of Madame Tussauds in London, no similar museum was built in Paris after she left. Everything changed in 1882, when the Jewish newspaper magnate Arthur Meyer (1844-1924) encountered a problem: most of his readers did not know what the subjects of the articles in his newspaper (Le Galois) looked like. The reason for this was that photographic technology was still primitive and there were no portable cameras with which you could take pictures instantly and at the touch of a button.
To solve this problem, he teamed up with the caricaturist and sculptor Alfred Grévin (1827-1892) and suggested that he establish a museum that would house wax figures of all the celebrities he had written about in his newspaper. Alfred agreed, and the museum opened in 1882 in its current location, and almost from the first day it was a great success, not only because of the exhibits but also because of the interior design, which was designed by leading Belle Époque artists such as Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1928) and Jules Chéret (1836-1932).
The person who financed this museum was Régis Gabriel-Thomas, who also financed the Eiffel Tower, and the museum was passed down from generation to generation in his family. Naturally, over the years, more and more exhibits and attractions were added and the museum of today is different, although not completely, from the museum of the past. What can be found in the museum these days? We will learn about this in the next chapter.
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My visit to the Groen Museum
After passing a poster of Leonardo DiCaprio, who looks like Francis I, those responsible for checking tickets and the wardrobe (costs 1 euros per item), our visit to the museum began.
The visit begins in the Hall of Mirrors with a pleasant sound-and-light show, but nothing more, during which the statues are “painted” in different colors each time and become different characters. After the show ends, you enter the first room in the museum, where you meet the famous wax dolls.
Many of the rooms are decorated in the Art Nouveau style, and in each of them you will find high-quality wax dolls of all kinds of famous figures from the worlds of entertainment, sports, politics, and culinary arts.
What's great is that these dolls don't simply stand in a row, but each one is in a different place and engaged in a different activity (for example, Aznavour sat on a chair in the theater, Pierre Herme stood in the kitchen with his famous macaron, and more).
Everyone will find what they like here, whether it's Hollywood stars like Harrison Ford, famous singers, etc. I personally was particularly drawn to the wax statues of French film actors (there's the whole old guard there, including לואי דה פינס, Fabrice Lucchini and many more) and to the chanson singers.
However, quite naturally, the place I liked the most is the area that deals with the history of France, from the times of the Gauls to the present day. It is really a little journey through time between the more and less bloody moments of French history. For example, you will find there the murder of Henry IV (king from 4-1589) or the execution of Joan of Arc.
The museum is not just about blood and fire, and you will also find sculptures of Louis XIV, Lully, Molière and many more iconic figures from French history. Of all these statues, my favorite was that of Camille Claudel Sculpting Auguste Rodin. Look at the picture and tell me if you agree with me.
And so we continued to move from hall to hall and celebrity to celebrity, until we came out to Passage Jofferoy. Personally, as a history buff, I really liked both the Belle Époque design and the multitude of historical figures we saw. This is why I believe that even if you are not really interested in seeing wax figures of Mbappe or Macron, you will find quite a bit to see and experience in this museum, and therefore I recommend it to anyone who has not yet visited it (and even to those who visited a long time ago, because the museum does not freeze and is constantly changing).
Useful information
If you decide to visit the Gervan Museum, here is all the information you will need.
Tickets to the Gervan Museum
There are two types of tickets. The slightly more expensive ticket is the free ticket. You book it and arrive at any time you want.
On the other hand, if you want to save a little money, you can book a ticket for a specific time, but then you lose flexibility.
Address
The entrance to the museum is at 10 Boulevard Montmartre and can be reached by metro lines 8 and 9 (if you are coming from the east). Paris, get off at Grandes Boulevards, and if you are coming from the west, get off at Richelieu-Drouot).
Opening Hours
The museum is open all week, but Monday-Friday it is open from 10:00 AM to 18:00 PM, while during the weekend it is open from 09:30 AM to 19:00 PM.
Excellent article, even though I've been there several times, I'll take your recommendation to return.
Thank you!