Palais de la Porte Dorée

12th arrondissement of Paris, France

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The Palais de la Porte Dorée, an exhibit hall on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes in Paris's 12th arrondissement, stands as a landmark of Art Deco architecture. Designed by Albert Laprade, Léon Jaussely, and Léon Bazin for the Paris Colonial Exposition of 1931, the building provides 16,000 square meters of exhibition and office space. Its exterior is distinguished by 1,200 square meters of bas-reliefs by sculptor Alfred Janniot depicting ships, oceans, and wildlife including antelopes, elephants, zebras, and snakes—imagery presenting an idealized version of colonialism. After serving successive ethnological museums focused on overseas French territories and African and Oceanic art, the building now houses the Musée de l'Histoire de l'Immigration (National Museum of the History of Immigration) and a tropical aquarium in its cellar containing approximately 5,000 animals representing 350 species. The structure was designated a monument historique inscrit in recognition of its architectural and historical significance.