Mémorial de la Shoah (Shoah Memorial)
The Basics
Located on the site of the Memorial to the Unknown Jewish Martyr, the Mémorial de la Shoah is a museum and archival center dedicated to the many victims—both French and international—of the Holocaust. The museum’s exhibition spaces broadly examine World War II’s horrors and also follow individual stories, while installations like the Wall of Names (which lists the names of the roughly 76,000 French Jews who were murdered by the Nazis) and the Wall of the Righteous (dedicated to those who worked to save Jews during WWII) serve as powerful commemorative monuments. The Mémorial de la Shoah is also home to the Memorial Crypt, which dates to 1957 and houses the remains of Holocaust victims.
This somber and affecting museum can be explored independently; it is also a frequent stop during Jewish-themed walking tours of the Marais district.
Things to Know Before You Go
The Mémorial de la Shoah is fully accessible to visitors with limited mobility.
On-site educational resources are available in the multimedia learning center, reading rooms, and bookstore.
The museum is free to visit, barring select special events.
Free guided tours are held in French every Sunday at 3pm. Free English tours are conducted on the second Sunday of each month.
How to Get There
The centrally located Mémorial de la Shoah can be reached via numerous forms of transportation. Take Métro line 1 to Saint-Paul or line 1 or 11 to Hôtel de Ville. Bus lines 67, 69, 76, and 96 also serve the museum. Alternatively, the landmark can be reached on foot, by car, or by Vélib’ bike.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
The Mémorial de la Shoah is open daily except on Saturdays, from 10am to 6pm; the museum is also open until 10pm on Thursday evenings. It is closed on January 1, May 1, June 12, July 14, August 15, and December 25, and is also closed for major Jewish holidays, the dates of which vary year to year.
Special Events at the Mémorial de la Shoah
In addition to its temporary exhibitions, the museum hosts a wide range of multimedia events, including concerts, visiting-author readings, film screenings, talks, and commemorations.
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