Uncover the Fascinating History Linking Paris Train Stations and Anthropology at Le Musée de l’Homme

If you are traveling to Paris, make sure to stop by Gare de l’Est and Gare Montparnasse train stations. These stations have a rich history and unique features that make them worth exploring. But what do they have to do with Le Musée de l’Homme, one of Paris’s most fascinating museums? The answer lies in the shared history of transportation and anthropology.

Gare de l’Est, built in 1849, was the departure point for soldiers during both World Wars. Today, the station serves as a major transportation hub for travelers heading eastward to destinations like Germany and Austria. But what many visitors don’t know is that the station also played a key role in the development of anthropology.

In the early 20th century, several important anthropological expeditions departed from Gare de l’Est, including the Dakar-Djibouti mission led by Marcel Griaule and Michel Leiris. These expeditions collected artifacts, photographs, and recordings of the cultures they encountered, which were then studied and analyzed back in France. The results of these expeditions helped shape the field of anthropology and contributed to our understanding of human history and culture.

Gare Montparnasse, on the other hand, is known for its stunning Art Deco architecture and the infamous incident in 1895 when a train crashed through the station’s façade. But the station also has connections to anthropology through its role as a departure point for the Mission Dakar-Soudan, another important anthropological expedition.

Led by the French colonial officer Theodore Monod, the mission aimed to study the cultures and natural history of West Africa. The team collected thousands of specimens, including plants, animals, and artifacts, which were then sent back to France for study and analysis. The results of the mission were published in several volumes and contributed to our understanding of the diversity of African cultures and the region’s natural history.

Le Musée de l’Homme, founded in 1937, grew out of the same intellectual and scientific traditions that inspired these anthropological expeditions. The museum’s collections and exhibits focus on human evolution, cultural diversity, and the relationships between humans and the natural world.

Exploring Gare de l’Est and Gare Montparnasse allows you to trace the connections between transportation, anthropology, and the development of human knowledge. And by visiting Le Musée de l’Homme, you can delve even deeper into these fascinating topics and gain a deeper appreciation for the ways in which our understanding of the world is shaped by our experiences and interactions with it.