The museum route assembles nearly 2,000 objects, which allows you to learn about not only the history of the techniques and know-how involved in the art of metal, but also the history of science, France, art and architecture, the economy and more.
Our education officers will be able to guide you through the museum, select exhibits and convey the tangible and intangible heritage of the Monnaie de Paris to you in a meaningful way.
The Monnaie de Paris also offers temporary exhibitions every year.
Whether you are a group of students, an association, a works council or just a very large family, we can offer you tours tailored to your needs and desires.
Whether you want a short or a long tour, a general or thematic one, to view the architecture, the collections or a temporary exhibition, a commentary in French or English, guided or participatory, talk to us about your projects and enjoy a tailor-made tour.
From 15th November 2025 to 1st March 2026
The first Parisian retrospective dedicated to Maurits Cornelis Escher is coming to the Monnaie de Paris. With over 200 works on display, the exhibition will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the dizzying world of creations and illusions by the Dutch artist, famous for his unique language combining art, mathematics, geometry, logic and philosophy.
This exhibition is produced by Arthemisia and Fever in collaboration with the M.C. Escher Foundation.
This exhibition has specific pricing:
For group bookings, private tours or private hire, please contact: groups@feverup.com
Show us your money!
Discovery (1h30)
Accompanied by an education officer, come and discover the wealth of the Monnaie de Paris and learn about the history of the institution, the building, coinage and the skills that are linked to it! Discover the origin of common expressions: ‘as rich as Croesus’, ‘the Midas touch’ and the French expression ‘payer en monnaie de singe’ (lit. ‘paying in monkey money’).
Crack open the secrets of the Monnaie!
Architectural discovery (1h or 1h30)
What are the defining features of neoclassical architecture? How does the Hôtel de la Monnaie express the might of its sovereign power to mint money in its form and décor? Come and discover the oldest factory still in operation in the heart of historic Paris.
(Tours are made by torchlight from December to March.)
A crime past and present: counterfeiting, a beneficial evil!
Money has always been copied, not only by ill-intentioned individuals but also by issuing authorities themselves.
‘Forgery and use of forgery’: this offence, long qualified as a crime and punished by the most atrocious tortures, is much more complex than it seems.
Coins: objects with many forms and meanings
Tea, shells, loincloths and glassware: coins are not necessarily round and metallic. Economic, philosophic, ethnographic and political issues lie behind these objects. Travel through time and space to discover the variety of engraved symbols, shapes and meanings attached to coins.
Coins: metal discs embodying the sciences
Physics, chemistry, engineering and technological innovations: come and discover a science that has its rightful place in the neoclassical building that was the original site of the École des Mines (Paris School of Mines), and become an unbeatable authority on docimastics, alloys, striking, jeweller's scales, the screw press and work hardening.
A place and object of power
Currency as an expression of power (16th–19th century)
Royal power and monetary power are linked. Little metal discs, coins are objects of unsuspected power.
Come and discover legends and engraved symbols from the time of Louis IX of France (13th century) to the French Revolution. From the techniques involved in coining to the history of coinage, all the secrets will be revealed to you.
This tour can also be combined with the Conciergerie.
‘The history of metal in the Western world’-The history of Western coinage (6th century BCE–19th century)
From Croesus to the Paris Commune, become an expert on staters, tournaments, Louis d’or, testons and the franc à cheval. Why, what, who, where and when? Discover answers to questions that will help you understand the world past and present.
’The golden legend of coinage’
Myths and legends
From the legendary Croesus, King Solomon, Hephaestus and the miner dwarfs to the treasure of rue Mouffetard and the alchemists, discover the fascination of gold and how the stages involved in manufacturing money – from mining to striking, via casting – have inspired myths and legends.
‘Get your hands off my money!’
Expressions and proverbs (1h or 1h30)
Are you worth your weight in gold? Do you have the Midas touch? Or does money burn a hole in your pocket? Come and discover how much we are unwittingly influenced by the world of money every day in the expressions we use.
Wake up your senses: come and see, smell, listen and touch
Accessibility
Created using a universal design approach, the museum is for everyone and invites you to participate in the experience to understand the workings of this temple to coinage and craftsmanship. With objects to touch, background sounds and olfactory atmospheres, the Musée de la Monnaie de Paris will appeal to all your senses.
Women: the hidden treasures of money
Women in the history of money
Whether as minters, cutters, muses, medal-makers or medallists, women have fully earned their place in the history of Monnaie de Paris. Come and discover how women have inspired, enriched and developed the art of coinage and medal-making.
Abracatathune! Literature, Fantasy, Fairy Tales and Pop Culture
If you’re a fan of fantasy, this is a tour for you! Your quest? Come armed with magic wands or swords, travel through time and space on the back of a dragon or a unicorn and let us show you the different stages in the manufacturing of money, from mining to striking via casting. A fascinating and inspiring tour full of facts, myths and legends.
