Free admission and tour
A stone's throw from the Opéra Garnier, in the heart of Paris, the Perfume Museum offers a unique museum concept, presenting in an educational and original way all the stages that bring this mythical luxury item and everyday object to life: perfume. Fragonard Perfumery thus unveils all the secrets of manufacturing: raw materials, harvesting, extraction, distillation, formulation, industrialisation, bottle-making and, of course, the creation process and the profession of 'nose'. Then, in the second part of the museum, an exceptional collection of antique bottles traces the history of perfume from ancient Egypt to the 20th century: kohl pots, pomanders, smelling-salt bottles, perfume burners, potpourris, travel cases, scent bottles, precious flasks...
The spirit of place
The Perfume Museum, located at 9 rue Scribe, was the first to open in Paris, in 1983. Following months of renovation and expansion work, it now houses a collection enhanced by numerous recent acquisitions made by Françoise Costa. Unusual, rare and precious, these new art objects join an already comprehensive collection, which also includes curiosities such as a civet, a apothecary's scales, and items relating to the production and extraction of perfume plants. A perfumer from Grasse since 1926, Fragonard shares its centuries-old expertise and unique heritage with visitors to tell the story of perfume from its origins to the present day.
Raw materials
Set up in the spirit of a cabinet of curiosities, the pieces exhibited in this first space evoke the history of the perfume laboratory. The display case presents objects used in the past: pharmacy jars, geographical maps, engravings, animal raw materials, measuring instruments, and botanical plates. In addition, an interactive map offers an olfactory journey around the five continents to discover the most iconic perfume flowers: Chinese osmanthus, Italian bergamot, Australian sandalwood, etc.
The still room
Here, the visitor is immersed in the atmosphere of an early 20th-century perfume factory. Stills, vintage photographs, and archival and recent films retrace the various stages of perfume making and bear witness to the evolution of the profession over the past hundred years. Though modernised and mechanised, the actions remain the same: those of men who cultivate, harvest, select, blend, and bottle these precious juices.
The Nose
Magician, artist, chemist, the perfumer draws on all of their talents to compose a fragrance. They possess unique know-how and develop their own olfactory signature. Often compared to a work of art, creating a perfume takes months, sometimes years. Creator by nature, the whole art of the 'nose' lies in knowing how to innovate, smell and capture the spirit of the times.
The collections
Boasting an exceptional collection of art objects related to perfumery, the Fragonard Museum exhibits rare pieces from antiquity to the 20th century. Through the ages and trends, perfume is found in three states: liquid, solid and vaporous. The collections reflect, in a chronological and historical order, these different aspects of perfume and its diverse uses. Begun by Jean-François Costa in the 1950s, the collection is continually expanding under the impetus of Anne, Agnès and Françoise Costa, the current directors of the House.
The olfaction room
Dedicated to temporary exhibitions and our flower of the year, this space invites visitors to play the game of olfaction and hone their sense of smell. Test your nose!
The Perfumer’s Workshop
Behind this door lies the perfumer’s workshop… A true laboratory of scents, this space, dedicated to the Apprentice Perfumer workshops, allows you to discover the secrets of fragrance creation.
The Shop
Located above the museum spaces, the shop offers the complete range of scented products from Maison Fragonard: perfumes, eaux de toilette, soaps, candles, diffusers, as well as cosmetics, shower gels and gift sets. The Fragonard selection is exceptionally rich and diverse: floral, fruity, chypre, woody or oriental, providing a wonderful way to extend your visit by exploring all the olfactive families and finding the fragrance that perfectly suits your personality, tastes and desires. The Fragonard lifestyle, home decor, fashion and accessory collections can be found in a nearby shop located at 5 rue Boudreau, Paris 9th (20 metres from the museum).
