First public meeting on the MMT location in Paris

On September 14, 2026, the first public meeting on the proposal to establish the Museum and Memorial of Terrorism (MMT) at the Lourcine Barracks was held at the town hall of Paris’s 13th arrondissement. About 80 people, mostly local residents, attended the meeting.

The meeting was opened by Jérôme Coumet, mayor of the 13^th arrondissement. Henry Rousso, historian and chair of the GIP MMT, presented the origins and scope of the project. Elisabeth Pelsez, executive director, then presented the memorial, the future museum’s collections, and the site’s planned spaces - covering approximately 3,000 m² - including a permanent exhibition and temporary exhibition spaces, as well as reception and educational areas open to the public.

Valérie Forey, Executive Director of OPPIC, the Operator for Cultural Heritage and Real Estate Projects, which serves as the delegated project manager on behalf of the Ministry of Culture - along with Yohan Öhlund, Chief Operating Officer, and Mathieu Roche, Project Manager, outlined the project timeline and its various phases: the international architecture competition, covering architecture, exhibition design, and the memorial, will be launched in September 2026; the winner will be selected following two rounds of jury deliberations, scheduled for December 2026 and May 2027. Technical studies will then begin in September 2027, prior to the submission of administrative permits in late 2028. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2029, with the museum-memorial slated for completion and opening in late 2031. The OPPIC also presented its “low-impact construction site” approach, which focuses in particular on limiting noise, dust, and pollution for residents living near the site, as well as on waste management and the protection of workers’ health.

The second part of the evening was devoted to discussions with local residents. Regarding the project itself, questions focused in particular on the choice of the selected site, as well as on the involvement of representatives from City Hall and the neighborhood in the architectural competition.

However, the most frequent questions concerned the upcoming construction work. Given the sensitive nature of the museum’s subject matter, the planned security measures raised several questions. Local residents also asked the speakers about the measures being implemented to limit disturbances and neighborhood disruptions related to the construction site (noise, dust, traffic).

Several representatives from victims’ associations were also present in the room. Hager Ben Aouissi, president of the association “Une voie, des enfants” (Nice), spoke in particular about the importance of this project for all victims of terrorism.

Additional public meetings will be held as the project progresses, notably after the winner of the architectural and scenographic competition is selected, and then before construction begins.