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Devoted entirely to the history of Paris, the Musee Carnavalet occupies a pair of fine old mansions in the Marais and traces the story of the city from its earliest beginnings to the present day. The museum was founded in 1880 by the city authorities, who acquired the Hotel Carnavalet, a Renaissance townhouse once home to the celebrated letter-writer Madame de Sevigne, and later joined it to the neighbouring Hotel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau, creating a sprawling complex around courtyards and gardens. Its vast collection of well over half a million objects includes paintings, sculptures, furniture, models, shop signs, archaeological finds and personal relics, arranged so that visitors move chronologically through the ages, from prehistoric canoes dug from the Seine to the medieval and royal city, the upheavals of the Revolution, the grand transformations of the nineteenth century and the Paris of more recent times. Among its treasures are reconstructed period interiors, ballroom panelling, a celebrated collection of Revolutionary memorabilia and rooms evoking the literary and artistic life of the city, including the bedroom of the writer Marcel Proust. After a major renovation completed in 2021 the displays were modernised and made more accessible, and admission to the permanent collection is free. Set in the heart of the historic Marais, surrounded by elegant streets, boutiques and cafes, it is easily combined with a walk through one of the oldest quarters of Paris. People come to understand how the city grew and changed, to admire the mansions and gardens themselves, and to encounter the everyday objects and grand set-pieces that bring its long past to life. For anyone wishing to grasp the story behind the streets they are walking, it is among the most rewarding museums in the capital. Admission to the permanent collection is free, though timed booking is advised at busy times and for temporary exhibitions, which carry a charge. The courtyards and gardens are a pleasure in their own right, and allowing a couple of hours lets visitors follow the city's story at a comfortable pace. Set among the cafes and boutiques of the Marais, it is one of the most enjoyable and accessible museums in Paris.