Funky Parisian Museums

I think its time for a new topic.

With all the difficulty we all seem to be having finding out museum information I began wondering about all dozens and dozens of museums I have never heard of or understand what they have. I though we could share our favorite small museum and tell what we liked about it or explain a little about the collection. The museums in every guide book DON%26#39;T count, so no Louvre, d%26#39;Orsay, Marmartton, Notre Dame, St. Chappell, etc. They do not have to be places you want to spend half a day, just an interesting 30 minutes. I%26#39;m especially interested in museums on the pass.

I did find a good link that has museums/hours/prices listed

http://www.metropoleparis.com/musees1.html

http://www.metropoleparis.com/musees2.html

I%26#39;ll start. I%26#39;ve been to the Musee du Monnies. Pass = FREE This is the French Mint. It has a high quality collection of historical coinage. I found it very interesting for 1-2 hours. Hubby could have spent 2 days. Definately worth a 30 minute stop just to look around it you have a pass. Its located along the Sienne just over the Pont Neuf. Gift shop is disappointing as it has more gifts sets than coin sets for collectors (ie none).

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For %26#39;..funky..%26#39; it%26#39;s difficult to beat the PALAIS de TOKOYO--under 18 free--Open: TUESDAY-to-SUNDAY--from Noon-to-Midnight--- http://www.palaisdetokyo.com/ --for the contemporary art on display as well as some of the patrons who visit later in the evenings.

Though not %26#39;funky%26#39;, the MUSEE des ARTS FORAINS-COLLECTION JEAN-PAUL FAVARD--Open: SAT %26amp; SUN��� 2:00-7:00 PM Only-- http://www.pavillons-de-bercy.com/ --is a great place, now located out at the far eastern edge of the city at Bercy...but this museum doesn%26#39;t seem to encourage or want visitors. They%26#39;ve always been tucked away in odd corners of the city and have always had odd/limited days and hours of operation. But if you can find it and make it there when it%26#39;s open, it is a wonderful, whimsical collection of antique carousels, fairground/carnival booths and exhibits and mechanical musical instruments. If the museum has a %26#39;flaw%26#39; it%26#39;s that they simply won%26#39;t allow you to duck under the ropes and climb up and ride or play with their great toys.

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KDKSail,

MUSEE des ARTS FORAINS sounds absolutely delightful, and most definately %26quot;Funky%26quot;.

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I agree KDk with Palais de Tokyo ... and my secret place is the Fondation Albert Kahn, with his japanese garden (14, rue du Port - 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, metro Boulogne Pont de Saint-Cloud, http://194.254.135.72/parcs/parcs/akahn/ (In french)

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Clicko,

I looked at the website. It looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing your secret place. Is this a garden you can take a picnic into? I do see that there is admission, but my French isn%26#39;t good enough to figure that out.

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Well, it would be tough to top le Musee de l%26#39;Erotisme on blvd. de Clichy. Actually, it sounds very sleazy but it is an authentic collection of erotic art from around the world, some funky, some graceful, quite interesting and open late.

http://www.musee-erotisme.com/

(no, it isn%26#39;t on the Carte Musee :)

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I think the Musee des Arts et Metiers is great. Some of the tour books don%26#39;t even mention it. They have the neatest machines in this building including the first microcomputer, TV sets from 1931, a Cray Supercomputer, Foucalt%26#39;s Pendulum, some of Edison%26#39;s original recording devices and much, much, much more. It is absolutely fascinating.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; le Musee de l%26#39;Erotisme%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

Be very careful when keyboarding the web site in...miss the hyphen and you get %26quot;..eroticism..%26#39; of a type that you hadn%26#39;t expected...and simply may not %26#39;..release..%26#39; your computer when you try to get out of some of the linked sites.

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I%26#39;m not sure it qualifies as %26quot;funky%26quot; but I find the Gustave Moreau museum in the 9th arrondissement on the rue de La Rochefoucauld fascinating anyway.

Gustave Moreau%26#39;s paintings are strange and often disturbing, and there is something odd and intriguing to me about a painter who spent the last few years of his life designing his own museum.

It%26#39;s a national museum, so I assume it is on the Pass.

http://www.musee-moreau.fr/index_u1l2.htm

Also the Musee de la Contrefacon (Forgeries Museum) in the 16th on the rue de la Faisanderie. You want to know for sure if that Rolex watch you bought from that guy in the bar who swore it was genuine and the only reason he was selling it for $100 was because he had lost his job and needed to buy his five-year old daughter a birthday present is really genuine? This is the place to find out.

And I agree (once again) with pixfield about the Arts et Metiers. It%26#39;s a real delight for kids of all ages...

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One I already spoke about but that is really not known by the usual guides : musee de la prefecture de Police de Paris

4, rue de la Montagne Sainte-Genevieve

Police Department for the 5th Arrondissement, 2nd floor.

Tel. : 01 44 41 52 50

I know, Police and Funky is not usually mixed in the same sentence. But I recommend it as it is unusual (eveything about crime in Paris), and it is located in the central touristy area of Saint Michel.

Not on the pass but free, so it doesn%26#39;t make any difference.

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Oh and to add to the funky style, there is the Franco American relationships museum, not in Paris but near Amiens. It is on the Carte Musee.

http://www.museefrancoamericain.fr/

You are entitled to grunt against the absence of english version of this site!!!