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A serpentine steel-and-timber staircase rises through the Musée Carnavalet in Paris—newly revamped by Snøhetta and Chatillon Architectes—introducing a sleek foil to the museum’s collection of artworks and artifacts, which tell the story of the city. Located in the Marais, Paris’s oldest museum—the product of two 17^th-century mansions—closed in 2016 for renovations focused on addressing issues of accessibility. With its intervention, the design team incorporated improved circulation and graphics, plus additional exhibition, teaching, and research spaces, while preserving the historic institution’s original features and spirit.

Photos © Antoine Mercusot, click to enlarge.