In 1886, Liberty Enlightening the World was inaugurated with great fanfare south of Manhattan. 140 years later, she continues to watch over all those who arrive at the Big Apple, transmitting a message of hope and resilience. And as we celebrate this year 250 years of American independence, the MuAM invites us to dive (literally) behind the scenes of its construction.
A true journey through time
Standing at 46.05 meters tall, she reigns over the entire Manhattan bay. A genuine technical feat, the Statue of Liberty is the brainchild of a French mind, that of sculptor Auguste Bartholdi. To revisit the extraordinary history of this masterpiece, we head to 19th-century Paris, and more specifically the Gaget workshops, which the artist called upon to bring his project to life.
© Museum of Arts and Crafts-Cnam / photo Michèle Favareille
From the first sketches of enlargement to the departure of all pieces for New York, passing through the secrets of the immense metal structure imagined by Gustave Eiffel — an engineer who clearly loves taking on monumental and symbolic projects — the exhibition offers us a journey through time to uncover all the secrets of Lady Liberty.
An immersive full-scale adventure
Designed as a true immersion, the exhibition, created in partnership with the Aristeas agency, offers us perfect reconstructions of construction workshops. Armed with audio headsets, we are transported into amazing settings, blending 3D design and sensory experience. Every stage of construction is examined closely, from plaster to wood, from theinside to outside, to unveil this one-of-a-kind creation.
© Arts and Crafts Museum - Le Cnam / photo Jean-Claude Wetzel
Section after section, the MuAM takes us into a world of its own, presenting us in turn with earlier works by Bartholdi, the genesis of the statue, scaled-down models, or even pieces of the statue at full size. Each room highlights the work, sweat, genius and boldness of all the artists and craftsmen who contributed to this colossal project, which more than a century later continues to fascinate thousands of people every day.
Lady Liberty. Sweat, boldness, genius.
Arts and Crafts Museum
60, rue Réaumur – 3rd arrondissement
September 22, 2026 to August 1, 2027
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