Iconic artifacts from counterterrorism proceedings added to the collections of the MMT

Published on

26th May 2026

updated on

23rd June 2026

In late May 2026, the Museum and Memorial of Terrorism received four pieces of furniture for its collection from the Grand Trial Chamber of the Paris Courthouse, donated by the Paris Court of Appeals: the scales of justice that hung above the bench, the witness stand, a bench for the public, and the illuminated sign marking the entrance to the chamber.

Located in the Hall of the Lost Steps at the Paris Courthouse, the Grand Trial Chamber was an exceptional 750 m² courtroom, created specifically for the trial of the November 13, 2015, attacks—known as the V13 trial—which took place from September 2021 to June 2022. Designed to accommodate several hundred civil parties, lawyers, and journalists, it ultimately hosted twelve major trials, including those related to the July 14 attack in Nice, the murder of Samuel Paty, and the escape of Rédoine Faïd. Originally intended as a temporary facility, it was dismantled in 2025.

Their addition to the collection marks an important step in building a collection dedicated to the judicial dimension of terrorism. The MMT aims to display these items in its future permanent exhibition, within a section dedicated to trials for acts of terrorism, alongside court-sealed evidence and other acquisitions related to the world of justice.

Through their physical presence, these objects preserve the memory of four years of extraordinary court proceedings. They bear witness to the central role that the justice system plays in the democratic response to terrorism and illustrate the MMT’s mission to document, in all its dimensions, this phenomenon that has shaped contemporary France.

To read : « Procès des attentats du 13 Novembre : barre des témoins, banc du public… Ces pièces iront au musée-mémorial du terrorisme », Le Parisien, 22 mai 2026 (in French only).

Vue de l'extérieur de la salle des grands procès du Palais de Justice de Paris

Salle des grands procès - Palais de Justice de Paris

Intérieur de la salle des grands procès du Palais de Justice de Paris

Salle des grands procès - Palais de Justice de Paris

3 panneaux de bois formant les mots "Salle d'audience"

Enseigne lumineuse de la salle des grands procès du Palais de Justice de Paris

La balance de la Justice