The Collège de France houses collections of objects of all kinds (paintings, scientific instruments, archaeological furniture, etc.) under the responsibility of the Museum Collections department and the heads of the libraries and archives concerned.
This heritage has been built up over time in a variety of ways. The history of the collections is closely linked to the research activities carried out at Collège France, and the institution has always made costly acquisitions of scientific instruments or works designed to support the research of professors in the humanities and social sciences. But a large part of the collection's enrichment comes from donations, as the institution has long benefited from numerous and regular gifts. Last but not least, at the beginning of the 20th century in particular, the collections were enriched by deposits from several major institutions, such as the Centre National des Arts Plastiques and the Manufacture de Sèvres.
The conservation and enhancement of these artifacts are at the heart of the Collège de France's policy of disseminating knowledge, with regular in-house exhibitions and annual loans to museums in France and abroad.
In order to meet the growing demand for loans and to support its internal exhibition policy, the Collège de France has recently acquired museum collection management software, which will enable online consultation of these collections and increase the visibility of its heritage.
