On May 15, 1889, the Eiffel Tower opened its door to the public, a few days after the inauguration of the Universal Exposition, and was the uncontested attraction of the event. 120 years later, the Mayor of Paris and the operating company, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, organized a series of events to celebrate the Tower’s anniversary in 2009.

Tales of the Eiffel Tower invites people from around the world to discover the beginnings of the Tower, its successful image, its highlights, replicas and souvenirs, what goes on behind the scenes. Visitors are invited to take a tour of the Tower, bone up on what they know and take a new look at the monument as seen through the many objects, posters, photos, engravings, illustrations and also films and interactive displays.

More than 100 illustrious panels, certain complete with monitors, games, and interactivity take the visitor into the heart of the monument, the passageways and the stairs of the Tower. A big tent has been installed on the platform overlooking the Champ de Mars which houses a cinema theatre and its bar.

In the Ferrié Pavilion, more than 300 reproductions of the Tower of all shapes and sizes fill a curiosity display while the gallery room is showcasing works of art which drew inspiration from the “Lady of Iron.”

Rispal, a Collector’s Passion”, Exhibit from July 20 – August 23

The Gustave Eiffel Room located on the first floor is presenting the Josette Rispal collection, including various objects, engravings and other items revolving around the Eiffel Tower and the Universal Expositions collected by her father. Antonin Rispal (1920-2003), an art collector/dealer passionate for modern art constituted this impressive collection over the years, which reveals the technological and industrial boom of the period through such items as photos, engravings, dishware, posters and more.

An Arctic Winter on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower from December 19, 2007 to March 9, 2008
The Eiffel Tower, in collaboration with Le Cercle Polaire¹, invites you to “Visit the Arctic Regions”:

• a photo expedition into the heart of the Arctic and Antarctic, meet the 21st century Inuit and discover the polar fauna,
• put on snowshoes for a trekking at 57 meters above Paris to January 31, 2008
• and stop in at the Umiak bar for a frozen treat right here in the Capital!

• the life of the people living at the North Pole in the 21st century, the Inuit
• an initiation into the diversity and fragility of the fauna in the polar regions for Tower visitors
• and a selection of short films that shed light on the work of scientists in those regions and their outposts observing global warming.

1: The association Le Cercle Polaire (www.lecerclepolaire.com) aims at presenting the authentic scientific culture of the Arctic and Antarctic zones, trying to move forward the preservation of these lands. Le Cercel Polaire is sponsored by the national research institute CNRS, the Paul-Emile Victor Polar Institute and the French National Commission for UNESCO.
2: 60 countries are collaborating on 210 international projects doing research in the polar regions (www.ipy.org/).
3 (snowshoes in all sizes (4 years and up) free of charge for visitors)
4 Umiak is the name of an Inuit canoe.

Exhibit from 16 June to 1 December 2007
Free access to all people visiting the monument

This summer, the Eiffel Tower has its heights in the stars with an exhibit presenting fifty years of what was called the space race, an exhibit organised by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Centre for Space Studies (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales - CNES).

Everything began in October 1957 when Sputnik was launched into space; it was the first man-made satellite to leave the planet, kicking off the era of man’s journey into space. Today continued space missions have given us a better look at Earth, including valuable information on the impact of global warming.

Thirty-two photos are on display in the open-air gallery of the first floor and several films are being presented at Cineiffel*.  Visitors will have an opportunity to admire images of Earth as seen from out in space, discover the latest technological equipment as well as the last missions.

Stereoscopic photos (in relief) and certain 2D posters can be appreciated when you look into the special viewers, plunging the visitor into an astronaut spacesuit aboard an international space station.  

*Audiovisual theatre