Palais de la Porte Dorée, palace and museums, Paris

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A very nice Art Deco palace, vestige of the French Colonies, now hosting an acquarium and the French immigration museum.

My experience, Explo description:

This curious building was designed to be the main pavillion of the French Colonial Exposition in 1931. It was built in just 18 months by French architect Albert Laprade. After the exhibition, it housed the Museum of Colonial Art (inaugurated in 1931), renamed museum of African and Oceanian Arts (Musée des Arts Africains et Océaniens)

In 2007, it was converted into the immigration museum. The African and Oceanian art collections were transfered to the Quai Branly museum.

The bas-relief of the facade of the palace was designed by Alfred Janniot. It is made of stones coming from Poitou and covers 1100sqm. It includes representations of major seaports and airports in Africa, Madagascar, the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania. It expressed the human and economic wealth of the French colonies.

Don't miss the frescoes of the central hall. The hall was designed by Albert Laprade and the murals painted by Pierre Henri Ducos. They also symbolize the influence and wealth of France on the the 4 continents.

If you are a Art Deco fan, you should absolutely see the 2 "oval rooms" (salons ovales) on both sides of the building entrance. The first, African-inspired, has furniture designed by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann. The second, Asian-inspired, is furnished by Eugene Printz. They symbolize the intellectual and artistic contributions of Africa and Asia to European civilization.

You can also visit the museum of immigration.

My personal recommendations:

Don't miss also the old acquarium, downstairs, which was for long the only acquarium in Paris...

How getting there:

Metro Porte Dorée (line 7).

A tip to eat:

There is a little café in the hall.

Useful information:

Open hours:

Closed on mondays.
-weekdays: 10am to 17.30pm
-weekends: 10am to 19pm.

Visit duration:

1 to 2 hours.