Galerie des Gobelins

In the 17th century, Colbert, a minister under Louis XIV, founded “The Royal Factory of Furniture and Tapestries to the Crown” on this site. Dedicated to furnishing the royal residences, it employed tapestry weavers, painters, metalsmiths, engravers and cabinetmakers. Production has continued, right up to the present day. The current complex includes the Gobelins Manufactory, the Mobilier National and, since the 1930s, the Beauvais (tapestries) and Savonnerie (carpets) Manufactories.

More than 200,000 exceptional pieces

Alongside the magnificent buildings, organised guided tours give visitors the chance to admire the manufactories’ rich, 200,000-piece collections. Around twenty loom-setters still work in the ateliers, which, since 1964, have been used by some of the great names in French design, including Pierre Paulin, Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec.

Created in 1663, the Mobilier National was originally conceived as a place to store furnishings from the royal residences. Now dedicated to the Élysée Palace and the French Ministries, it houses more than 80,000 pieces of furniture and textiles, originally created for royal and imperial usage, which it conserves and restores.

The Galerie des Gobelins traces the golden age of these institutions. Its temporary exhibitions, on show in large period rooms, successfully combine displays of ancient, exceptional savoir-faire with contemporary works.

You will also enjoy the beauty and know-how of the National Ceramics Museum of Sèvres.