ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the Musee Centennal leveraged history to promote contemporary decorative arts. It overviews the Musee Centennal du Mobilier et de la Decoration as it was presented to visitors at the 1900 Exposition Universelle. The chapter outlines the popular archeological and ethnographic displays at the fair, situating these in a longer tradition of themed environments characteristic of nineteenth-century exhibitions. It describes some of the most prized interior decorating ensembles created for the 1900 fair by a variety of public and private institutions eager to demonstrate their achievements in the realm of decorative arts and design. The chapter discusses the Musee Centennal to examine its pivotal role in bringing together the similarly disparate French contributions to turn-of-the-century decorative arts and design in the context of spectacle and entertainment. The nascent vogue for museum period rooms had undoubtedly inspired exhibition organizers, Paris' Musee Carnavalet serving as a local example.
