Museum of Eroticism, Paris
The Museum of Eroticism (Musée de l’Érotisme) was a private museum in the Pigalle district of Paris dedicated to erotic art and artefacts from cultures around the world. Founded in 1997 by art collectors Alain Plumey and Jo Khalifa, it occupied seven floors of a building on Boulevard de Clichy and displayed over 2,000 objects spanning ancient fertility figures to contemporary erotic art. The museum closed permanently on 7 November 2016 after nearly twenty years of operation.
At a glance
- Type
- Private erotic art museum (now closed)
- Period
- Open 1997–2016
- Style
- Mixed — folk art, pre-Columbian, Asian, and contemporary erotic works
- Location
- 72 Boulevard de Clichy, Pigalle, 18th arrondissement, Paris, France
- Coordinates
- 48.8842° N, 2.3340° E
- Status
- Permanently closed since 7 November 2016
Overview
The Museum of Eroticism was one of Paris’s most distinctive private museums, housed across seven floors of a narrow building in the heart of Pigalle, the city’s historic entertainment and cabaret quarter. Its collections ranged from ancient fertility objects and folk art to paintings, sculptures, and photographic works, drawing visitors seeking an academic as well as popular perspective on human sexuality through art. At its peak the museum attracted tens of thousands of visitors annually from around the world.
History
Antique dealer Alain Plumey and educator Jo Khalifa opened the museum on 8 November 1997, displaying their personal collections of erotic artefacts accumulated over decades. The Pigalle location was deliberate — the neighbourhood had long been associated with adult entertainment and cabaret culture, placing the museum in a historically resonant context. For nearly two decades it operated as a legitimate cultural venue, hosting temporary exhibitions alongside its permanent collection. The museum closed its doors on 7 November 2016, exactly one day short of its nineteenth anniversary; the reasons for closure were not made fully public, though the building’s lease and changing neighbourhood economics are widely cited.
What you see
The collection covered a remarkable breadth of human cultures and time periods, including pre-Columbian ceramic vessels with explicit imagery, Asian netsuke figures, African fertility sculptures, European paintings and drawings from the 18th and 19th centuries, and 20th-century works by recognised artists. Temporary exhibitions introduced contemporary photography and installation art, keeping the programme fresh throughout the museum’s life. The seven-storey layout allowed distinct thematic and geographic sections, giving visitors a structured journey through erotic expression across civilisations.
Cultural significance
As one of very few museums in Europe dedicated exclusively to erotic art, the Paris Museum of Eroticism played a role in legitimising the academic study and public display of sexuality in art. Its presence in Pigalle — a district in transition from red-light economy to mainstream tourism — made it both a product of and a commentary on changing urban culture. The closure of the museum in 2016 ended a singular chapter in Parisian cultural life, and no comparable institution has replaced it in the city.
Practical information
- Status
- Permanently closed since 7 November 2016. The building at 72 Boulevard de Clichy no longer operates as a museum.
- Former address
- 72 Boulevard de Clichy, 75018 Paris, France
- Former hours
- Daily 10:00–02:00
Getting there
The former museum site is located in the Pigalle district of the 18th arrondissement. The nearest Metro stations are Pigalle (lines 2 and 12) and Blanche (line 2), both within a two-minute walk of Boulevard de Clichy. The area is well served by bus routes along the boulevard.