Cité de l'Histoire

What Cité de l'Histoire does

Cité de l'Histoire operates a 6,000 m² immersive cultural-experience venue beneath the Grande Arche de La Défense in Puteaux, France, opened to the public on January 17, 2023, and produced by Amaclio Productions SAS (parent company registered in Paris with €2,834,920 capital; founded with creative direction by historian Franck Ferrand and direction by Thierry Rétif). The venue combines three core attractions — La Clé des siècles (a 40-minute multi-sensory journey across 17 rooms covering 12 centuries of French history), the rotating 360° Ellipse show on a 700 m² projection surface (currently featuring César / Roman Empire and upcoming La Cité Interdite), and the Corridor of Time, an interactive digital timeline with 26 touch terminals and 400+ historical dates — plus paid VR add-ons (Éternelle Notre-Dame and Paris Ville Lumière, from €20.99), children's workshops, monthly conferences, and free-access auxiliary venues (Bistrot de l'Histoire restaurant, Boutique, Librairie with 800+ history books).

Revenue mechanics center on direct-to-consumer ticketing priced at €14.99–€25 (with reduced, group, and €10/student school tiers) sold via the PlaceMinute.com online platform and on-site box office, augmented by VR tickets, restaurant and retail spend, and gift vouchers. The venue markets primarily through event-driven and earned-media tactics — partnerships with RTL, TF1, Le Parisien, Histoire TV and institutional backers including Région Île-de-France, Paris-La Défense, Orange Group, and Ville de Paris — and serves families with children (primary), school groups, domestic tourists, and works councils / associations.

The operating model is asset-heavy but labor-lean: 11 reported employees supported by shared Amaclio infrastructure and contracted actors on weekends, with continuous themed-exhibition refreshes (César December 2024, Jour-J June 2024, Cité Interdite July 2026) designed to drive repeat visitation in a single-venue, single-geography footprint.

Name

Cité de l'Histoire

Legal name

AMACLIO PRODUCTIONS

Website

https://cite-histoire.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cité de l'Histoire is an immersive cultural-experience venue under the Grande Arche de La Défense in Puteaux, France, serving families, school groups, and tourists with multi-sensory historical shows, 360° videomapping, interactive timelines, and VR attractions priced from €14.99.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immersive Cultural Experiences

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Historical Sites (71212), Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC), Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Immersive historical experiences
• Cultural attraction venue
• Virtual reality attractions
• Educational entertainment
• Historical exhibitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Primary revenue stream from individual and group admission tickets. Tickets grant access to all main animations (immersive journey, 360° ellipse, timeline) except virtual reality experiences which require separate tickets. Pricing varies by channel (online vs on-site) and customer category (full, reduced, group, school).
2. Virtual Reality Add-on Tickets: Separate paid tickets for Éternelle Notre-Dame and Paris Ville Lumière virtual reality experiences, priced from €20.99 with combined ticket options.
3. Restaurant (Bistrot de l'Histoire): Food and beverage service offering French artisan-prepared dishes in jars. Meal + drink packages from €10. Accessible without museum ticket, serving both visitors and external customers.
4. Retail (Boutique and Librairie): Souvenir shop and bookshop selling Cité de l'Histoire branded items, historical merchandise, stationery, games, costumes, and over 800 history books. Both accessible without admission ticket.
5. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers available for purchase, targeting festive occasions and birthdays.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cité de l'Histoire is an immersive historical experience venue offering timed-entry admission tickets that grant access to a 40-minute multi-sensory journey through 12 centuries of French history across 17 rooms, a 360° videomapping ellipse projection, and an interactive digital timeline. The venue also sells separate add-on tickets for multi-user virtual reality experiences (Éternelle Notre-Dame and Paris Ville Lumière) and offers ancillary revenue from on-site food, bookshop, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Cité de l'Histoire is a 6,000 m² immersive historical experience venue located under the Grande Arche de la Défense in Paris. The venue operates as a multi-experience attraction combining three core products: (1) La Clé des siècles, a 40-minute multi-sensory immersive journey through 12 centuries of French history across 17 themed rooms; (2) Ellipse 360°, a 360° video projection theater featuring rotating themed shows (currently César and La Cité Interdite); and (3) the Corridor of Time, an interactive digital timeline with 400 historical dates and 26 touch terminals. The venue also hosts add-on VR experiences (Éternelle Notre-Dame and Paris Ville Lumière) requiring separate tickets, plus auxiliary services including a free-access bookshop, restaurant, and boutique. Opening in January 2023, the venue was produced by Amaclio Productions in collaboration with historian Franck Ferrand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• La Clé des siècles (The Key of Centuries) The main immersive journey through 12 centuries of French history, featuring 17 rooms with multi-sensory effects (temperature, humidity, sound, texture, air current, movement), live costumed actors on weekends, and audio narration by Franck Ferrand on weekdays. Duration: 40 minutes. For families, tourists, and school groups.
• Ellipse 360° - rotating themed projections 360° video projection show using Amaclio's signature videomapping technique on a 700 m² projection surface. Rotating themed shows include César (Roman Empire) and Victor Hugo, with La Cité Interdite scheduled for summer 2026. For visitors seeking large-scale immersive themed shows.
• La Cité Interdite - Six siècles de mystères Immersive 360° exhibition on the Chinese Forbidden City featuring a 45-minute experience with monumental projections, a 360° film told through three historical witnesses (Matteo Ricci, Jean-Denis Attiret, and a contemporary traveler), and an interactive exploration space. 700 m² projection surface. For families, tourists, and school groups.
• Le Corridor du Temps / Frise Chronologique (Historical Timeline) Giant interactive digital timeline featuring 400 historical dates from world history with 26 touch-screen terminals and interactive projections for self-guided exploration. Includes tablet quizzes for interactive learning. For visitors of all ages, including school groups.
• Éternelle Notre-Dame (VR experience) Virtual reality experience allowing visitors to discover Notre-Dame Cathedral through the centuries from multiple viewpoints (Nave, frame, towers, street). 45-minute multi-user free-roaming VR experience. Requires separate ticket from the main venue entry. Originally launched January 2022 and has welcomed 60,000+ visitors. For tourists and families.
• Paris Ville Lumière (VR experience) Virtual reality experience exploring the history and major transformations of Paris. 45-minute duration. Requires a separate ticket from the main Cité de l'Histoire entry. For tourists and families.
• Ateliers enfants (Children's Workshops) Educational and recreational workshops for children, including traditional Chinese lantern workshops (linked to the Cité Interdite exhibition) and Roman-themed activities. Available on select weekends. For families and children.
• La Librairie (Bookshop) Free-access bookshop featuring over 800 historical works, academic essays, and historical studies. Located within the venue without requiring a main entry ticket. For visitors and walk-in customers.
• Le Bistrot de l'Histoire Restaurant and café serving refined dishes prepared by French master craftsmen. Free access without main entry ticket. Located under the Grande Arche. Meal packages from €10. Open Wednesday to Sunday. For visitors and external walk-in customers.
• La Boutique Souvenir shop offering themed merchandise including stationery, decoration, games, and costumes related to historical periods and venue shows. Free access without main entry ticket. For visitors and walk-in customers.
• Conférences (Conferences) Monthly historical conferences hosted by eminent historians, introduced by Franck Ferrand. Open to all history enthusiasts. Held at the venue. For history enthusiasts and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60,000+ visitors have experienced Éternelle Notre-Dame VR since January 2022

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Région Île-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerÎle-de-France Region provides institutional support to Cité de l'Histoire as a new cultural venue in the region, supporting both individual visitors and school groups. Regional backing provides legitimacy and regional development funding.
• Paris-La DéfensecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe public entity managing the La Défense business district supports the launch of Cité de l'Histoire under the Grande Arche. Provides visibility and promotion within the district.
• ViparisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerViparis, famous manager of exhibition and event sites, has partnered with Cité de l'Histoire for corporate events at this exceptional venue.
• Orange GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrange Group is the project carrier for the Éternelle Notre-Dame VR experience, which has welcomed over 60,000 visitors since January 2022 and is temporarily hosted by Cité de l'Histoire.
• Ville de PariscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Paris partners with Éternelle Notre-Dame immersive VR experience, supporting the exploration of Notre-Dame cathedral history.
• Diocèse de ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese of Paris partners with the Éternelle Notre-Dame VR experience, providing religious and historical perspective on the cathedral.
• Établissement public 'Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris'minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic establishment managing Notre-Dame restoration partners with VR experience, supporting historical documentation and public engagement.
• Le BonbonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner covering cultural trends and events. Provides editorial coverage and visibility to urban, trend-focused audience in Paris.
• Le PèlerinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChristian news weekly magazine partners with Cité de l'Histoire for press coverage and editorial features on historical and cultural topics.
• Le ParisienminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor regional daily newspaper provides press coverage and media partnerships for Cité de l'Histoire and Éternelle Notre-Dame events.
• RTLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading French radio station provides press coverage and media partnerships for Cité de l'Histoire opening and special events.
• Histoire TVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench history-themed television channel provides media partnership and editorial coverage for historical content and events.
• TF1minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor French television network provides press coverage and media visibility for Cité de l'Histoire events and special exhibitions.
• Transilien SNCF VoyageursminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSNCF's suburban rail operator partners for tourism promotion, highlighting accessible train transport to La Défense location.
• World of TanksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGaming partner providing cross-promotional opportunities with history-themed entertainment content.
• Quelle HistoireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistory-focused content partner providing cross-promotional opportunities and historical content alignment.
• Amaclio ProductionscoreOthersParent company and producer of Cité de l'Histoire. Amaclio Productions is a SAS company with capital of €2,834,920, registration 829 087 121 R.C.S. Paris. Holds entertainment contractor licenses L-R-20-003048 and L-R-20-005336. Founded by François Nicolas (President) with historical direction by Franck Ferrand.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bassins de Lumières: Culturespaces' large-format immersive venue in a former submarine base in Bordeaux, repurposing industrial heritage for 360° projection shows. Directly comparable business model and technology stack to Cité de l'Histoire's Ellipse experience, demonstrating both the proven and saturating nature of the category.
• Carrières de Lumières: Immersive venue set in a former limestone quarry at Les Baux-de-Provence, also by Culturespaces. Comparable as a heritage-site-meets-projection venue mixing dramatic natural settings with rotating themed immersive shows, illustrating the franchise potential of the model.
• Atelier des Lumières: Paris-based immersive digital art center operated by Culturespaces, pioneering the 360° projection immersive venue format in Paris. Directly comparable as the flagship competing immersive venue targeting similar tourist and family segments with rotating themed immersive shows.

Broad incumbents

• Puy du Fou: France's leading historical theme park known for large-scale immersive historical spectacles with costumed performers. Comparable as a competing model for immersive historical narrative entertainment, though delivered outdoors and as a multi-day destination rather than a single indoor venue.
• Château de Versailles Spectacles: Programming arm producing ticketed performances, garden shows, and immersive evenings at the Palace of Versailles. Comparable as a French ticketed immersive heritage-entertainment operator that combines historic site, narration, and ticketed evening spectacle formats.

Emerging players

• teamLab: International interdisciplinary art collective operating immersive digital art experiences (e.g., teamLab Planets Tokyo, teamLab Borderless). Relevant as a global benchmark and competitor pushing immersive tech quality and international licensing potential for venues like Cité de l'Histoire.
• HistoPad (Écrins, Chantilly, etc.): Provider of tablet-based augmented reality reconstructions deployed at French historical sites (Château de Chantilly, etc.). Comparable as an immersive-history technology vendor/operator whose augmented reality approach partially overlaps with the VR ambitions at Cité de l'Histoire.
• Van Gogh Immersive (Expositions Immersives): International operator of touring and permanent immersive art experiences built around famous artists and historical themes. Comparable as a direct competitor in the traveling/permanent immersive art market now expanding across European capitals including Paris.

Regional players

• Musée Grévin: Historic Parisian wax museum offering interactive historical figure experiences in central Paris. Comparable as a family-oriented immersive cultural attraction in Paris competing for the same school-group and tourist visits with a more traditional but blended entertainment model.

Others

• Amaclio Productions (parent, Spectacles historiques): Parent producer of Cité de l'Histoire and creator of large-format French historical shows and spectacles (e.g., at Puy du Fou). Comparable as the parent entity and content engine that benchmarks revenue and creative capacity for the venue, and as a co-investment consideration given the integrated ownership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Citedelhistoire
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCx6DPzRcv2StCyaxRmf6MrQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/citedelhistoire
• Instagraminstagram.com/citedelhistoire
• TikToktiktok.com/@citedelhistoire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cit%C3%A9-de-l-histoire

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cité de l'Histoire