While Americans make periodic visits to historical sites, the French are surrounded by their history. Everyday life is filled with reminders of it. Each town in France has squares and streets named after famous figures, and historical monuments sit on every corner. In Episode 13, Hélène looked for information on Antoine’s role during World War II in the Archives nationales. The Archives, housed at the Hôtel Soubise in the Marais, were inaugurated in 1790 by the Assemblée constituante as a storehouse for historical documents dating back to the French Revolution. The archives are under the direction of the Ministère de la culture et de la communication. Proof of the French government’s interest in preserving its cultural treasures, this ministère, then named ministère des Affaires culturelles, was established in 1959 to "rendre accessibles les œuvres capitales de l'humanité, et d'abord de la France, au plus grand nombre possible de Français; d'assurer la plus vaste audience à notre patrimoine (heritage) culturel, et de favoriser la création des œuvres de l'art et de l'esprit qui l'enrichissent (enrich it)." In the 1960s, the ministère created the maisons de la culture, or cultural centers, in order to ensure public access to artistic works. Each major town in France has a maison de la culture, at which one can attend concerts and plays and see films and art exhibits.

1			Considérez Est-ce qu'il y a une organisation dans votre pays comparable au Ministère de la culture et de la communication?