Paris Museums That Didn’t Forget the Kids

Paris is a world-renowned center of art and culture, and its museums contain superior collections of paintings, sculptures and artifacts. Many of these museums are oriented toward the adult visitor, and a quiet and solemn atmosphere is the order of the day. Think, for example, of museums such as the Louvre, the Pompidou Center and the Musee d’Orsay. There is, however, a group of museums that cater to the interests of children, and families who visit Paris should know about these centers of education and entertainment.

The Paris Natural History Museum, located at 57 rue Cuvier, has a collection of dinosaur skeletons that is guaranteed to enthrall children of all ages. Parents, too, will find the exhibit fun and fascinating. The museum also houses the gallery of mineralogy, which features over 600,000 minerals, precious stones and beautifully colored crystals. The children can also see some live animals at the zoo in the Plant Gardens. The Paris Natural History Museum is easily accessible via the Paris Metro. Just take lines 5, 10 or RER C to the Gare d’Austerlitz. If you would rather have your own transportation, car hire in Paris is easy and convenient with many locations available for car pick up and many different companies offering a variety of cars. At Charles de Gaulle Airport, for example, there are eight car hire firms offering 72 different kinds of cars.The Museum of Arts and Crafts at 60 Rue Reaumur is a place where children can learn about science and invention. The museum houses the original 1851 pendulum by Foucault which shows that the earth rotates on its axis. It also contains a large car and airplane exhibit as well as over 80,000 other science-related objects.Kids interested in music will enjoy the Museum of Music at Parc de la Villette. The museum specializes in the display of musical instruments with over 1,000 of them available for visitors to view. Instruments owned by Polish composer Frederic Chopin and American rock musician Frank Zappa are included in the collection.

Two somewhat unusual museums that appeal to children are the Toy Gallery at the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Grevin Wax Museum located at number 10 Boulevard Montmartre. The Toy Gallery is part of the Louvre Palace, and presents a great collection of French-made toys from the past and present. The Grevin Wax Museum, which dates back to June of 1882, displays over 300 life-like wax figures of people from all over the world. Two notable figures are those of Brad Pitt and Celine Dion.

The Museum of Magic, at 11 rue Saint-Paul, offers children a hands-on magic experience that includes optical illusions and interactive games. In addition, children are mesmerized by the magic shows that the museum puts on at various times during the day. Children will certainly find fun and games at this museum, but they will also learn something about the development of magic down through time beginning with the 18th century and going all the way to the present.

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