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Musee Carnavalet Review

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Musée Carnavalet

Address: 23 rue de Sévigné, Marais, Paris | Map It
Phone: 01-44-59-58-58
www.carnavalet.paris.fr

Category: Museums/Galleries
Location: The Marais

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 4.1/5

Fodor's Review:

If it has to do with Paris history, it's here. This collection is a fascinating hodgepodge of Parisian artifacts and art, from the prehistoric canoes used by Parisii tribes to the furniture of the cork-lined bedroom where Marcel Proust labored over his evocative novels. You can get a great feel for the evolvement of the city through the ages thanks to scores of paintings. The museum fills two adjacent mansions, the Hôtel Le Peletier de St-Fargeau and the Hôtel Carnavalet. The latter is a Renaissance jewel that in the mid-1600s became the home of writer Madame de Sévigné. The long-lived Sévigné wrote hundreds of frank and funny letters to her daughter, giving an incomparable view of both public and private life during the time of Louis XIV. The museum offers a glimpse into her world, but the collection covers far more than just the 17th century. The exhibits on the Revolution are especially interesting, with scale models of guillotines, a replica of the Bastille prison carved from one of its stones, even a cast-iron stove in the shape of the Bastille. There is an amazing assortment of reconstructed interiors from the Middle Ages through the rococo period and into Art Nouveau—showstoppers include the Fouquet jewelry shop and the Café de Paris's original furnishings. There is some information in English.

Cost: Free for permanent collection, EUR 6 for exhibits
Open: Tues.-Sun. 10-5:40
Metro: St-Paul

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 11/9/08
A very enjoyable museum showing the history of Paris. Contains paintings, furniture and other applied art work, whole rooms, and other artifacts. Worth a visit.

Member Rating: 4.2
Ratings details: Experience: 4.0 Ease: 4.0 Value: 5.0 Don't Miss: 4.0

Reviewed by Mercier from Melbourne, Australia on 8/22/08
I love this museum from the basement with its display of early Paris and Roman artefacts. It's been a few years since I've been - I love the selection of artworks too and usually find one I adore. One I always recommend to fellow travellers and then follow up with a rest in the Place des Vosges.

Member Rating: 4.2
Ratings details: Experience: 4.0 Ease: 4.0 Value: 5.0 Don't Miss: 4.0

Reviewed by traveller2007 from London, England on 7/20/08
I recently went to the Geffreye Museum in London (interior decor through the ages in the UK) so this caught my eye. Like the Museum of Photography, its not a must-see museum (like the Louvre or d'Orsay) and over the summer the French Revolution and 20th Century rooms are closed - very disappointing! - but the building and gardens made up for it. You can see the garden from the main street, which gives it its oasis-like quality. And its free, which is an added bonus if you fancy a quick cultural fix between Marais-cafe hopping, but don't fancy a long queue or hefty entrance fee.

Member Rating: 3.6
Ratings details: Experience: 3.0 Ease: 5.0 Value: 5.0 Don't Miss: 2.0

Reviewed by ShannonMc from Montreal, Canada on 7/18/08
This museum is in two lovely old mansions with a beautful courtyard right in the Marais. The collection is very large and gives a great look into Paris through the ages. My only disappointment was the French Revlution rooms were closed when I was there