Editorial review 2026
Many other museums hold radioactive objects that are sometimes displayed (but not always) to the public.
The Air and Space Museum
It holds numerous aviation instrument dials, manufactured after the 1930s and containing radium. Most of these items are kept in storage and are not displayed to the public.
Example of an instrument panel in storage
A dose rate of 100 µSv/h was measured in contact with the set of dials. The issue of exposure may arise particularly for restorers who work on these objects. Air and Space Museum. © Marc Ammerich
However, some devices equipped with these dials are still displayed in the museum. The museum has taken all necessary precautions to ensure that visitors are not exposed to ionizing radiation.
The storage collections of the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts
There are no radioactive objects in the CNAM museum in Paris (we verified this). However, radioactive objects are kept in the storage collections, which are sometimes accessible to the public, particularly during the European Heritage Days.
These are often radium alarm clocks, porcelain pieces, or earthenware objects.
A pictogram was placed in the display case to indicate that these objects were radioactive. As they contain very little uranium, they do not produce significant radiation and there is no exposure for visitors. CNAM, © Marc Ammerich.
The National Museum of Ceramics in Sèvres
Some historical pieces contained uranium oxides. Here again, the concentration was so low that there was no risk of exposure for visitors.
For more than ten years now, the museum has been restoring these objects using non-radioactive pigments. This is an example of the application of the principle of justification.