During my three-month stint in Paris, I passed by the Institut de France almost on a daily basis — walking from my apartment near the Louvre and crossing over Pont des Arts to Saint-Germain-des-Prés. For the longest time, I had no idea what the building was, just that it was a pretty sight, magically appearing from one of the side entrances of the Louvre. As I had enough of my ignorance, I googled it!

Created in 1795, the Institut de France is a governmental institution consisting of five intellectual academies: Académie française, Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, Académie des sciences, Académie des beaux-arts, and Académie des sciences morales et politiques — all founded in the 1600s. In addition, it manages around 1,000 foundations, museums and castles. There, now we both know something about this building.

Until my next post … take care!

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