The world of Clovis, an exhibition in which you are the hero at the National Archaeology Museum

Do you like escape games or role playing games? Then you should love the new exhibition at the National Archaeology Museum in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (only 20 minutes by RER from Paris)!

In “The World of Clovis”, you are indeed an actor of the exhibition since your visit will depend on you. Built on the model of books in which you are the hero, this exhibition invites you to choose a character and to make him evolve according to your choices. An innovative approach without compromising the content or the quality of the works on display.

Article produced in partnership with the National Archaeology Museum in Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Understand who were the men and women who lived at the time of the Merovingians

When we think of the Merovingians, we think of Clovis and Dagobert… and that’s about it! The exhibition therefore aims to introduce us to the men and women who lived during this period, from the 5th to the middle of the 7th century.

For the Frankish period was a time of opportunity, one of the rare moments in history when it was possible to experience a profound social evolution, like Bathilde, the slave who became queen of the Franks.

The exhibition in which you are the hero

To help us understand how people lived during the Merovingian period, what better way than to slip into the skin of one of them? Thus, at the beginning of the exhibition, you will have to choose among four characters:

• Andarchius, the energetic one. Andarchius was born into the small Gallo-Roman peasantry, like most of the inhabitants of the Frankish kingdom. He compensates for this modest origin by a great audacity. Will he be able to live up to his ambitions?
• Bathilde, the clever one. Bathilde belongs to a family of slaves of Anglo-Saxon origin settled in Gaul, near Amiens. Although of very modest origin, she is intelligent and has ambition: one day, she will launch fashions and the most important women of the frank world will wear her creations.
• Geneviève, the courageous one. Geneviève belongs to the small Syrian community in Paris. Her parents came from the Roman East and the family specialized in the trade of exotic products. Courageous and diplomatic, Geneviève seeks to carve out a place for herself in the Frankish world.
• Médard, the intelligent one. Médard, from a noble Frankish family, is ready to leave his parents’ property to go on an expedition. Well-read and a fine strategist, he wishes to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a renowned warrior in his own right.

Armed with your tour booklet or the mobile application, you will advance through the exhibition by making choices that are sometimes decisive for your character. It’s up to you to be focused while visiting the exhibition to make the right decisions that will increase your wealth and prestige!

Faced with the objects that will be presented to you, you will learn throughout your visit what was the daily life of men and women at the time of the Merovingians.

An exhibition to be experienced and re-experienced

Of course, each character is different and visiting with Bathilde will not take you through the same areas of the exhibition as if you choose Andarchius. To avoid missing anything, it is therefore preferable to repeat the exhibition several times.

But don’t worry: your ticket is valid for the day and allows you to repeat the visit several times, without extra cost. It takes about 45 minutes per visit, so it is quite possible to do the tour two or three times.

A playful visit

This exhibition proves that it is possible to have fun while learning. If it is primarily aimed at teenagers, families and young adults, this exhibition is of course open to all audiences and is designed to appeal to young and old alike.

It also allows visitors to discover the superb chapel of the château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which hosts the last part of the exhibition.

Come to the National Archaeology Museum and enjoy a day in Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Take advantage of your visit to the museum to (re)discover the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. With its National Estate, the charm of the pedestrian center and the various museums of the city, there is enough to spend a pleasant day in a more relaxed setting than that of the capital, all this only 20 minutes by RER from Paris!

ALSO READ: Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a cultural getaway at the gates of Paris

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Article proposed in partnership with the National Archaeology Museum