About us

After 25 years of constant activity, the Cité des Sciences now needs to improve its facilities for visitors. A project to renovate spaces and services used by the public has been launched with the aim of encouraging access for all and increasing urban integration. The objectives are to stay at the forefront of scientific and technological outreach, to meet and surpass our visitors' expectations, and to attract a larger and more varied audience. A further objective is to raise the profile of the Cité as the north-east quadrant of Paris expands by attracting more local visitors.

With an average of 10,000 visitors a day, the Cité des Sciences consumes as much energy as a town with a similar population. Plans are now under way to upgrade the building and its functions in order to reduce their environmental impact. Ageing technical systems must be redesigned and the building's outer shell must be renovated. It is now imperative to reconcile technical and social regulations with the environmental requirements introduced after the 2008 Grenelle Environment Conference. And as a showcase for advances in science and technology, the Cité must, of course, lead the way in adopting new, green technologies and encourage their development in the society of tomorrow.

Renovation of the Palais and its permanent exhibition areas will adhere strictly to integrated eco-design requirements. The building will thus become an exhibit in itself, both through the techniques applied (e.g. a lift with an energy recovery system, bioclimatic glass roofs) and through the materials used (e.g. photovoltaic glass panels).
On an architectural level, the building will be returned to its former glory by removing partitions to restore the original volumes and capture natural light through glass roofs and windows. Both innovative in terms of environmental protection and ambitious in terms of preserving architectural heritage, the renovation plan will also be an opportunity to improve compliance with universal accessibility requirements.