In French, Jea de paume denotes a game of tennis or a tennis court—which is what this venue’s main exhibition space used to house back in the 19th century, when it was constructed during the reign of Napolean III. The contemporary Jeu de Paume is a combination of three associations, the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, the Centre National de la Photographie, and Patrimoine Photographique. In 2004, these triple forces merged to promote innovative photography and mechanical or electronically created images.

Jeu de Paume exists in several spaces and forms—from the main exhibition space at Concorde, the Hotel de Sully, various traveling exhibitions and the virtual exhibition space located on their website.