BnF Museum

About

The BnF Museum or Museum of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, formally known as the Cabinet des médailles (French pronunciation: [kabin It displays collections of the Department of Mints, Medals and Antiques of the Bibliothèque nationale de France as well as manuscripts and books from the Library's collections. The BnF Museum is located in the Richelieu site, the formation main building of the library bordering rue de Richelieu.

Overview: The Cabinet des Médailles is a museum containing internationally important collections of coins, engraved gems, and antiquities, with its distant origins in the treasuries of the French kings of the Middle Ages. The disruptions of the Wars of Religion inspired Charles IX (1560–1574) to create the position of a special guard of the King's medals and antiques. Thus the collection, which has been increased and never again dispersed – unlike the first royal library, assembled at the Louvre Palace by Charles V, which contained 973 volumes when it was inventoried in 1373, but was dispersed during the following century. It...