Beyond the Louvre: Five Unusual Museums in Paris

The Pompidou Centre, the Orsay, the world-famous Louvre—Paris is home to some of the world’s most remarkable art museums. But where do you go once you’ve already seen the “Mona Lisa” and Degas’ masterpieces? Well, you might be surprised to discover how many interesting museums the city actually has! Book a room at one of the finest hotels in Paris (consider the Emeraude Lodge du Centre or the Hilton Arc De Triomphe Paris) and set off to tour one of these unique collections:

Musée de la Magie

Perfect for the young or the young-at-heart, Georges Proust’s Museum of Magic is sure to spark curiosity and imagination. Its collections are housed in ancient vaulted chambers, built of stone beneath the ground of the trendy Marais district. Interactive illusions, magic-themed antiques, various magical devices and more are waiting for you at the end of a descending staircase. Start the tour in the Musée de la Magie’s small theatre, which features a 20-minute live magic show. Also be sure to check out the optical illusion machines, and the weird devices used by fraudulent fortune-tellers to conjure up “ghosts” during their rituals.

Musée des Egouts de Paris

An urban sewer system may not be on your list of must-see tourist attractions. However, rarely is one so important that it has its own museum! The Musée des Egouts de Paris (Museum of the Sewers of Paris) is located near the Quai d’Orsay, beneath the Pont de l’Alma. A far cry from the glitz and glamour of Paris, the underground museum shows a very different side of the city. A guided tour will take you approximately 500 metres, through tunnels that once functioned as sewage canals. They have been transformed to contain interesting exhibits on everything from the water cycle to the history of Paris’ sewers.

Musée Fragonard

Just as the Musée des Egouts de Paris shows us the hidden mechanical workings of the French capital, the Musée Fragonard sheds some light on our own human infrastructure. The legacy of Honoré Fragonard (an anatomy professor during the 1760’s, and a cousin of the famous painter’s) houses major collections of anatomical “pieces” that portray the various systems that make up the living body. One of the museum’s main highlights is its third room, in which you will 21 of Fragonard’s famous models (ie. preserved skinned cadavers.) Throughout his lifetime, he supposedly made 700; these are the ones that remain. The Musée Fragonard also contains other unique artifacts—many of which are not suitable for the faint of heart or stomach!

Musée de la Publicité

Are you a fan of those vintage advertising posters by Toulouse-Lautrec? If so, you should not miss Paris’ Musée de la Publicité! Although the museum, which chonicles the history of advertising in France, incorporates multiple mediums, it mainly focuses on print. The gallery houses an impressive collection of posters by Toulouse-Lautrec and his contemporaries. There are about 40,000 French and foreign period posters from the 18^th century to 1949, and then 45,000 more from that year to today. Donated by various ad agencies and graphic designers, the posters sell everything from travel to liquor to cabaret. There are also film, TV and radio commercials on display in this unique museum that incorporates avant-garde video technology into its architecture.

Musée Baccarat

Once the private home of art patron Marie-Laurie, Viscountess de Noailles (1920-1970), this extravagant mansion has led an interesting life. It used to draw the likes of Dali, Cocteau and Man Ray to incredible parties on the Place des États-Unis. Since then, it has been transformed into the Musée Baccarat, a museum entirely dedicated to all things opulent and eye-catching. The décor is the work of cutting-edge designer Philippe Starck, and it features a stunning array of unique details. Note the crystal chandelier sunk in an aquarium of water, precious antiques like Tsar Nicholas II’s candelabra and crystal glassware once used by Pope John Paul II, and the “talking” Baccarat vases. If you can swing it, finish the tour with a meal at the in-house Baccarat Cristal Room—one of the finest (and most expensive!) restaurants in Paris.