The Museum hold a large collection of objects (posters, models, advertising material, calendars, toys, uniforms…) which marked the history of Air France, Air Inter and UTA.
These collections can discovered by the visit of the Air France Virtual Museum and in the Members space.
Copies of some of these objects are on sale at in the Museum's shop.
Posters
Air France has always endeavoured to actively use this medium. Posters by their universality are easily understandable; their natural symbolism and their simplicity perfectly meet the needs of Air France by spreading its image worldwide. The series of posters are grouped by subjects, e.g. tourist references , or air transport concepts.
Air France is one of the world's companies having particularly highlighted this type of support with its collection of artists' posters, for example Georges Mathieu in the 1970s,or Yann Arthus-Bertrand more recently for the last years.
Please visit the Shop section to discover the other collections, on sale online.
Models
The Museum is in the process of assessing and restoring various models of plane. These models are built on different scales: from the travel agency model at 1/20th (measuring 1,50m with split cockpit) down to the small model at 1/200 th.
The collections of the Museum include original models made to coincide with the aircraft's launch and models made later in different materials.
You can order many replicas of these models by visiting the Models section of the shop.
Advertising
This media, based on visibility, has for objective to put the Air France brand in the hands or under the eyes of existing or would-be customers.
These objects' main characteristics are a marked French character and a connection with travel. They must have a modern design and be of common and visible use.
Most are long-lasting items for the counter or the desk, widely distributed and treasured small objects or high quality one-off gifts.
Calendars
Calendars were distributed to clients ever since the start of Air France in 1933. They were always made by artists, first illustrators then photographers. These last few years, they were created alternatively by painters, illustrators and photographers.
Toys
With the help of dedicated collectors, the Museum has gathered a collection of toys bearing the Air France brand, or that of constituent companies (UTA, TAI, Air Inter, Cidna). Both symbols of childhood and contemporary image of the company, the Air France games take various shapes:
- Board games
- Travel games
- Patience games
- Playing cards
- Models to be build
- Miniatures
- Dolls and figurines...
During the golden age of sheet metal toys, the Joustra company made an agreement with Air France allowing it to put the "shrimp" on all its aeronautical toys, some of which were far from being realistic. From Constellation onwards, which was without doubt the biggest selling sheet metal toy plane, the Company was more demanding regarding the accuracy of the replicas.
A book written by Frédéric Marchand on these toys "Games and Toys of the Sky" is on sale at the Air France Museum at Library
Uniforms
Since the very first ones in 1946, uniforms have been work tools, the functions of which are very specific:
- they enable agents to be easily identified (in the airport, on the plane, in travel agencies).
- they strengthen the relation with the passenger/customer by lending agents a certain authority, and asserting their competence and professionalism.
- they contribute to the cohesion of a team or a crew and assert their sense belonging to the Air France company.
Their basic colour is blue, the colour of Air France for 70 years.
At the end of 1960's, the company sought to become the ambassador of French fashion throughout the world. It then asked the biggest fashion houses to create the uniforms for air hostesses, which became the embodiments of French chic.
From Christian Dior to Pierre Balmain, from Nina Ricci to Jean Patou and, tomorrow Christian Lacroix, a history of fashion and style which tells the evolution of trends through the years.
Limited edition stewardess dolls dressed in these uniforms can be ordered in the section: Miscellaneous
Decoration
For the layout of the Boeing 707 lounges, an aircraft, which marked a new era in 1967 and 1968 Air France decided to place tapestries of 1mx60cm on the side of the bar. These tapestries were made by well-known French tapestry weavers (Les Gobelins, Pinton, Tabard, Picaud, Plasse Le Caisne, Le Goueix), following the designs of major artists such as Sonia Delaunay, Vasarely, Alechinsky, Hartung, Mathieu, Hilaire, Perrot, Picart Le Doux, Manessier...
Two were destroyed in accidents and three stolen during flight operation.
Above the Boeing 707 bar was a painted melaminated panel depicting the castle of which the plane bore the name.
At the time of the launch of the Boeing 747, it was decided to decorate the first class cloakroom doors with paintings, which were melaminated to increase their resistance.
The creation of these artworks was entrusted to contemporary artists: Zao Wou Ki, Singier, Moal, Tourlière, Matsui, Hartung…
Aerophilately
The letter, correspondence or mail, commemorative, FDC (First Day Cover) or ephemera for English-speakers, contains technical information (postal, aeronautical) on a stamped and airmailed support (envelope, postcard, other).
Air France owns, with approximately 20 000 letters worlwide the oldest (from 1909 to today) and the widest (it covers the five continents) aerophilatelic heritage. It can tell and bear testimony to the most important moments of its history in 6500 letters, that is the third of all the known or estimated documents.
The history of Air France includes groupings, mergers, wars, the independence of the former colonial territories and, technical headways. As such, it tends to merge with History, of which it is one of the iconic instruments.
Watercolours
A number of painters, such as Albert Brenet, Paul Lengellé, Philippe Mitschké, Lucio Perinetto and James Prunier painted for Air France, watercolours representing some of the fleet's best known aircrafts. Most of them are collected its in the book: "A century of aviation with Air France" which can be found in the Museum shop.
Others
Other collections of the Museum include:
- world maps
- menus
- documents
- advertising leaflets