Places to discover

Musée national des Arts asiatiques Guimet
The walls of the museum are decorated in subtle tones to set off the splendour of the collections. Each floor is a journey – hieratic Buddhas and Indian elephant gods, ladies from the Tang dynasty with hair styled in two chignons, Siddhârtha in golden copper from Tibet, tiaras from Nepal, ink from China, reeds, cranes, lotus, the Silk Road, lacquered wood, cobalt blues, Japanese nõ masks and much more.
6, place d’Iéna (16th). M° Iéna. Tél. : 01 56 52 53 00. Daily: 10am-6pm, except Tue. €6.50 – RR: €4.50. Under 18s: free. Subject to modification.
www.guimet.fr

Le Panthéon bouddhique
The museum’s Panthéon Bouddhique displays pieces brought back from Japan in 1876 by Émile Guimet, an industrialist from Lyon, a fervent admirer of the culture of the Far East and founder of the museum that bears his name. 19, av. d’Iéna (16th). M° Iéna. Tél. : 01 44 32 18 00. Daily: 9.45am-5.45pm. Closed Tue. Free.


Palais de Tokyo – site de création contemporaine
The spacious dimensions brightened with acid tones are a showcase for emerging contemporary art. From midday to midnight, experimental, irreverent, international, and often interactive exhibitions and events brighten the line-up. The shop disguised as a “petrol station from the suburbs of Stockholm” is stocked with amusing objects in limited series; under the luminous pink and green saucers of the restaurant, one can enjoy peas with mint and clementines au gratin.
13, av. du Président-Wilson (16th). M° Iéna. Tél. : 01 47 23 54 01. Tue to Sun: Midday to midnight. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May and 25 Dec. €6 – RR: €4.50. Under 18s, disabled: free.
www.palaisdetokyo.com


Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris
tones of the fauvists, the deconstructed shapes of the cubists and Les Disques by Fernand Léger. It features all the trends in non-figurative art, from the École de Paris, Modigliani, Soutine, and Giacometti’s search for the absolute to photos by Brassaï. It also covers the 1950s and the following decades with New Realism, Arte Povera, Support/Surface, Fluxus, and more. It honours great contemporary figures, such as Boltanski, Bourgeois, and Buren, and supports the most outstanding trends in new design.
11, av. du Président-Wilson (16th). M° Iéna. Tél. : 01 53 67 40 00. Daily: 10am-6pm, except Mon and some public hols. Thu: late opening until 10pm. Permanent collections free.
www.mam.paris.fr


CinéAqua
Much more than the largest tank in France! Marine collection or cinema? Both actually. In the aquariums, sharks, sea urchins, clown fish and divers put on a show. At the cinema, the in-house animation and manga studio screens humorous and poetical works. The highlight: workshops for children and even a touch pool to stroke and feed the fish. Jardins du Trocadéro (16th). M° Trocadéro. Tél. : 01 40 69 23 23. Daily: 10am-8pm. €19.50. 3-12yrs: €12.50.
www.cineaqua.com




Palais Galliera – musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
In the garden of this 19th-century palace, the fountain’s nymph is dressed like Eve. Inside, lacework, parasols, haute couture labels, fans and shoes (in total 90,000 costumes and accessories from the 18th-century to the present day) parade the history of fashion with sublime temporary exhibitions.
10, av. Pierre-Ier-de-Serbie (16th). M° Iéna. Tél. : 01 56 52 86 00. Only open during temporary exhibitions: 10am-6pm, except Mon and public hols. Under 14s: free.
www.galliera.paris.fr


Les égouts de Paris
Underground Paris, what an adventure! 2,400 km of pipes; some 31,600 manhole covers for easy access; 500 sewer workers responsible for the upkeep … and 1 underground visit to find out everything there is to know about the water cycle.
Face au 93, quai d’Orsay (7th). M° Alma-Marceau. Tél. : 01 53 68 27 81. Daily except Thu, Fri and 2 weeks mid-Jan.1 May to 30 Sept: 11am-5pm. 1 Oct to 30 Apr: 11am-4pm. €4.20 – RR: €3.40. Under 6s: free.
www.paris.fr


Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
Housed in a wing of the Palais de Chaillot, this cité – open to all – devotes its 23,000 sq.m. to the urban environment. The museum’s galleries present architectural moulds, medieval and Renaissance wall paintings and an architectural panorama from 1850 to the present day.
Palais de Chaillot. 1, place du Trocadéro et du 11-Novembre (16th). M° Trocadéro. RER Champ-de-Mars – Tour-Eiffel. Tél. : 01 58 51 52 00. Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun: 11am-7pm. Thu: 11am-9pm. Closed Tue. €8/€10 – RR: €5/€7. Under 18s, 1st Sun of month: free.
www.citechaillot.fr




Musée national de la Marine
There’s genius at sea. And if you don’t believe us, explore this collection that dates back to Louis XV. Objects, instruments, models of frigates, three-mast galleys, steamships, battleships, and liners will take you on a voyage of maritime discovery.
Palais de Chaillot. 17, place du Trocadéro (16th). M° Trocadéro. Tél. : 01 53 65 69 53 (info et rés). Daily: 10am-6pm, except Tue, 1 Jan, 1 May and 25 Dec. €9/€7 – RR: €7/€5 (audioguide included). Under 18s: free.
www.musee-marine.fr



Musée Maillol –Fondation Dina-Vierny
Dina Vierny was the muse and friend of the painter and sculptor Aristide Maillol. The foundation and the museum reveal the work of the artist and offer a panorama of 20th-century art through his collection and that of Dina: B for Bonnard, D for Duchamp, K for Kandinsky… S for seductive!
Fondation Dina-Vierny. 61, rue de Grenelle (7th). M° Rue-du-Bac. Tél. : 01 42 22 59 58. Daily: 11am-6pm, except Tue and public hols. €8 – RR: €6. Under 16s: free.
www.museemaillol.com



Musée de l’Homme
Even its name will change! Come back in 2013 to discover a brand new wonderful musée des Sciences naturelles de l’homme. To include a great journey through time from man’s appearance – 150,000 years ago – to the present day, in a totally new laid out museum.
17, place du Trocadéro (16th). M° Trocadéro. Tél. : 01 44 05 72 72. Closed until 2012.
www.mnhn.fr