The National Center for Stage Costumes

The National Center of Stage Costume is the first preservation structure, in France and abroad, to be entirely dedicated to the material heritage of theaters.
Twice a year, exhibitions enhance this heritage collection of 10,000 theater, opera and ballet costumes.
Self-guided visit.
The Centre national du costume et de la scène is open year-round.
Housed in a former 18th-century cavalry barracks, it presents its exhibitions.

“Treasures from the Collections” – new permanent gallery of 180 m²!
Two new rooms offer an exceptional immersion into some of the finest pieces of our heritage. An opportunity to discover, throughout the year, a selection of emblematic costumes from the CNCS collection (which comprises over 10,000 costumes and numerous accessories).

Permanent exhibition: La Scène
Presentation of the stage sets for Cyrano de Bergerac at the Comédie-Française.

In April 2023, the CNCS became the Centre national du costume and de la scène with the inauguration of a new space within the Quartier Villars. Known as La Scène, these galleries dedicated to theatrical scenography highlight the professions of the performing arts. On this occasion, the CNCS also expanded its storage facilities in order to continue enriching its costume collection.

Permanent exhibition: The Nureyev Collection

The museum presents a permanent exhibition dedicated to Rudolf Nureyev, one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century. The collection reveals aspects of his personal and artistic life through a theatrical scenography designed by set designer Ezio Frigerio, a close friend of Nureyev, assisted by Giulano Spinelli.ste à la carrière internationale exceptionnelle dans une scénographie théâtralisée conçue par le décorateur, ami fidèle de Noureev, Ezio Frigerio, assisté de Giuliano Spinelli.