For over 136 years, 72 names have adorned the border encircling the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. In gilded letters, these inscriptions pay tribute to the great French scientists and engineers of the 19th century, contemporaries of Gustave Eiffel. All are men. Not a single woman appears on this prestigious list, which is nonetheless rich in major discoveries and historic scientific figures. This absence should soon be remedied.
Launch of a commission of experts
On May 26, 2025, a decisive step was taken with the very first meeting of a commission of experts on the monument itself, in the Salle Gustave Eiffel on the 1st floor. What a symbol! The 15-member commission* was officially launched by the City of Paris, the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) and the Femmes & Sciences association. Its objective: to study the conditions for inscribing the names of women scientists on the Eiffel Tower, around the 2nd floor, and to put forward recommendations to this effect.
A collective and transparent process
The diversity of the commission members' backgrounds is designed to ensure a comprehensive and rigorous approach, taking into account the monument's historical, heritage, legal and technical issues.
This process involves more than simply adding names to a list. The commission is responsible for defining the criteria for selecting the women scientists to be honored, and for studying the monument's heritage and material constraints. To this end, it will meet regularly from May to July 2025.
The results of this consensual reflection and the commission's recommendations will be presented in an official report to the Mayor of Paris next September.
In this way, the desire to expand the Eiffel Tower's Scientific Pantheon would provide highly symbolic support for the fight to raise the profile of women scientists.
*The commission is co-chaired by Jean-François-Martins, President of the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) and Isabelle Vauglin, astrophysicist at the CNRS and Vice-President of the “Femmes & Sciences” association. The 15-member commission includes scientific experts, heritage specialists and representatives of the French government and the City of Paris.
