Science Museums in Paris

Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie

• Built over the settlement of La Villette, construction on this museum started in 1974. Former French President François Mitterrand officially opened it in 1986. The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is the largest science museum in Europe. The museum is almost entirely glass and steel in its construction and is characterized by the silver sphere that catches the attention of tourists and passersby. The museum has three levels with attractions ranging from a planetarium, an aquarium and a library of science and industry.

  Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie

  30 Avenue Corentin Cariou

  75019 Paris

  France

  +331-4005-7000

  cite-sciences.fr

Musée National des Arts et Métiers

• The Musée National des Arts et Métiers, or the Museum of Arts and Crafts, was built in 1794 by Abbot Grégoire. It is in the priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs and is home to a collection of about 80,000 scientific instruments and inventions and about 15,000 drawings. All items on exhibit provide evidence of the creativity of man and the imagination of those who started the Industrial Revolution. One of the most notable exhibits in the Musée National des Arts et Métiers is an original Foucault pendulum.

  Musée National des Arts et Métiers

  60 Rue Réaumur

  75003 Paris

  France‎

  +331-5301-8200

  arts-et-metiers.net

Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle

• The National Museum of Natural History in Paris has about 60 million specimens showcasing objects related to a variety of scientific disciplines such as paleontology, geology, mineralogy, meteorites, botany, zoology, prehistory, anthropology, ethnobiology and chemistry. The museum began in 1793 during the French Revolution. It was originally the Jardin Royal des Plantes Médicinales (Royal Medicinal Plant Garden), built in 1635 by King Louis XIII, but as the museum's collection diversified and expanded, it became known as Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle to better describe the artifacts on exhibit.

  Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle

  57 Rue Cuvier

  75005 Paris

  France

  +331-4079-3000

  www.mnhn.fr

Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace

• The Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, the Paris Air and Space Museum, was built in 1919 by Albert Caquot. It is one of the oldest aviation museums in the world. The museum has 150 aircraft in its total collection of 19,595 items. A number of pieces in the museum's collection are from the 16th century. This museum houses modern aircraft and prototypes as well. It also houses remaining pieces of historical aircraft. The Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace is near Le Bourget Airport.

  Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace

  Aéroport de Paris-Le Bourget BP 173

  93350 Le Bourget

  France

  +331-4835-9669

  museeairespace.fr