For over 100 years, Paris has had a tradition of controversial, polarising public works projects. It kicked off in the 1880s with the Eiffel Tower, which many Parisians found brutal and ugly. There was a similar reaction to the Centre Pompidou in the 1970s: the blockish experiment of a building, with its primary-colour pipes and … More Le Palais Garnier (l’Opéra de Paris)
For a very long time, in the West at least, much of the history we have been taught has been military history: the dates of wars, the names of kings and generals, the stories of battles fought over territory, people and values. In schools, books and museums, we learn that the most important events of … More Le Musée de l’Armée
When you think of Roman ruins, it’s pretty likely that you think of, well, Rome. And it’s true that many of the most spectacular and well-preserved Roman sites are in the capital of the former empire. But Roman imperialism spread across most of Europe and the Mediterranean between the 1st century BCE and the 5th … More Les Arènes de Lutèce
When I was little, I attended a Steiner primary school. The creative, alternative institution drew a fair number of metaphysical types who wanted us to only play with natural items. No plastic, no branding and, as this was the mid-90s, no tamagotchis. Instead, there was a lot of hand-woven rainbow wool, organic German crayons, gnome … More Le Musée de la Minéralogie
For many people, the idea of Paris art museums evokes images of grand oil paintings and majestic sculptures. But photography is another important part of the city’s artistic history, from Robert Doisneau to Man Ray and beyond. When people ask me the best museums for photography in Paris, I’m quick to respond: for size and … More La Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson
Every October, the museums, galleries, theatres and other institutions of Paris come together to put on a show that lasts from sundown to sunup. La Nuit blanche (on October 3 this year) is modelled on Saint Petersburg’s White Night celebrations, though Paris’ version is too far south of the North Pole to be illuminated by … More L’Espace Fondation EDF
The fifth arrondissement serves a wide range of people. It is home to the Sorbonne, the original buildings of the University of Paris, and to the city’s greatest concentration of universities and private grandes écoles, with a corresponding array of bookshops and stationery boutiques. It is a tourist magnet, the site of the Latin Quarter, … More La Grande Mosquée de Paris
You could spend a week just exploring the museums located on the edge of the 16th arrondissement, between the neighbouring metro stations of Trocadéro and Iéna. It’s hard to process how much art, history and culture is packed into just a few blocks. The Palais de Chaillot, the pale stone building most appreciated by tourists … More Le Musée national des arts asiatiques Guimet
Unless you’re immensely lucky or immensely rich, you’ll most likely have to make some compromises when looking for a Paris apartment. Most people have their list of essentials, and a list of things they’re willing to sacrifice. For me, I will never again rent a place with a shared toilet down the hall (one flat … More La Tour Saint-Jacques
For those who don’t know, I am only la Muséophile in my spare time. My main work is as a Senior Lecturer in French and Cinema Studies. Contemporary French film holds an even dearer place in my heart than Paris museums (though it feels sacrilegious to say so on this site) and as my students … More Les Petits cinémas de Paris
Les Musées de Paris 