The Odéon Theatre first opened in 1782 to house France's national theatre, the Comédie Française, and is an excellent example of 18th century architecture, located near the Luxembourg gardens and palace on Paris's Left Bank where it has been witness to many upheavals, both artistic and political. The Odéon has always been closely tied to the French State and is now one of the five national theatres in France fully funded by the Ministry for Culture. In 1990 it became the "Théâtre de l'Europe", with complete independence to conduct the mission of "fostering joint projects with stage directors, actors, playwrights and other figures involved in the dramatic arts in Europe, to present new works and breathe new life into Europe's artistic heritage".