Bibliothèque-musée de l'Opéra

The Bibliothèque-musée de l'Opéra is located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, right at the corner of Rue Scribe and Rue Auber. It is integrated into the Palais Garnier, more precisely into the so-called Rotonde de l'Empereur, a pavilion on the west side of the theater. This space was originally designed as a private entrance for Emperor Napoleon III to protect him from assassination attempts. After the abolition of the monarchy, President Mac-Mahon refused to use the pavilion as a ceremonial space. The archivist Charles Nuitter then succeeded in persuading the architect Charles Garnier to convert the area into a repository for the opera's books and archives. Today the institution no longer belongs to the opera itself but is part of the music department of the National Library of France.

The library's holdings comprise around 600,000 documents on the history of the Opéra and the Opéra-Comique. These include about 100,000 books, 250,000 autographs, 16,000 scores, 30,000 libretti, and numerous photographs and prints. The rooms have largely preserved their original 19th-century appearance. In five exhibition rooms, you can experience three centuries of opera history. On display are paintings, costumes, stage designs, and scale models of sets. In total, the museum holds 8,500 objects, including 2,500 stage models, 500 designs, and 3,000 costume accessories. Because the collection is too large to be displayed in full, the exhibits are rotated regularly. One highlight is a bronze statue of the dancer Alexandre Kalioujny, showing him in a leaping pose from the ballet Les danses polovtsiennes. Admission is charged, and it is recommended that you check the opening hours in advance, since access is through the opera's main foyer.