Museum of 3D Relief Maps

The Museum of 3D Relief Maps is a must-see for fans of military history

Visit the Museum of 3D Relief Maps with Go City®

• Discover the models studied by Kings to devise defence and war strategies at the Museum of 3D Relief Maps.

This attraction requires a Paris Museum Pass

You'll receive a free Paris Museum Pass when you purchase an All-Inclusive Pass from Go City. This added extra gives you free entry to dozens of top museums and monuments. You'll need to make sure you download it ahead of your trip to the Museum of 3D Relief Maps.

About this experience

Channel your inner Minister of War at the Museum of 3D Relief Maps (Musée des Plans-Reliefs). Located within the Hôtel des Invalides, the museum features 28 meticulously preserved 3D relief maps of historically strategic fortified cities.

The collection of the Museum of 3D Relief Maps features key structures along the Atlantic Ocean, English Channel, Mediterranean coasts and Pyrenees mountains. The exhibit explains the construction and practical military use of the models and shows you insights into the history of fortification from the Middle Ages until 1870. They also highlight the evolution of the firing ranges, artillery and the techniques of war. They can also be seen through the lens of town planning and its evolution from 1668 until 1868.

Did you know?

• The materials used for the realization of the models are very fragile and do not withstand humidity or light. The relief maps are displayed in air-conditioned display cases with fiber optic lighting
• These three-dimensional models date back to 1668 and were created to aid King Louis XIV plan military and defense strategy. 
• In 1700 Louis XIV installed the collection in the Louvre where it remained until 1774 when the museum was rededicated to housing paintings. The 3D models were saved from destruction and relocated to their current home in the Hôtel des Invalides.