Children's museum in Paris?
Jun 13th, 2007, 07:59 PM
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Children's museum in Paris?
I've searched the forums and found lots of ideas for travel to Paris with children. However, does anyone know if there is a children's museum in Paris? I'm sure there are portions of some of the museums they will enjoy (ages 5-9) but wonder if there is a children's museum. La Villette seems the closest to the idea I have. Any others?
Thank you. Scootoir
Thank you. Scootoir
Jun 13th, 2007, 08:21 PM
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Thanks Dave, I'll look into the maritime. I should add this will be for a family going in September. I've been to Paris several times but not with kids and am trying to help with planning.
Jun 13th, 2007, 08:53 PM
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StCirq, I love the Jacquemart-Andre and will suggest that. The staircase and folding walls ought to be of interest to the older child and the younger could be taken outside if restless. Then there's always dessert in the dining room. S
Jun 14th, 2007, 04:32 AM
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A little travel is required but only by metro -- my sons, then 10 & 11 enjoyed the Aquarium and admission was included in our museum pass. The highlight were the Archer fish that spit at moving fingers just above the level of the water in their tank. I've never seen Archer fish in an American aquarium, but we'd read about them some years before and they performed admirably.
The collection of heads from Notre Dame at the Cluny were a hit (go figure) as were the foundations of the original Louvre on the lowest level of the Louvre. They also liked the outdoor markets -- you can combine the ruins of the Roman arena (l'arene de Lutece) and a market stroll in one morning. The best fun of all were the sailboats at the octagonal basin in Luxemburg Gardens - and the cost was minimal.
The collection of heads from Notre Dame at the Cluny were a hit (go figure) as were the foundations of the original Louvre on the lowest level of the Louvre. They also liked the outdoor markets -- you can combine the ruins of the Roman arena (l'arene de Lutece) and a market stroll in one morning. The best fun of all were the sailboats at the octagonal basin in Luxemburg Gardens - and the cost was minimal.
Jun 14th, 2007, 10:51 AM
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Museum of Magic:
www.museedelamagie.com/
Museum of dolls:
www.museedelapoupeeparis.com/
Marionettes in the parks:
http://www.parisparis.com/fr/enfant/marionnettes.html
www.museedelamagie.com/
Museum of dolls:
www.museedelapoupeeparis.com/
Marionettes in the parks:
http://www.parisparis.com/fr/enfant/marionnettes.html
Jun 15th, 2007, 02:48 AM
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At the time I was living in Paris, my children liked La villete, and the Musée D'Orsay, this one is not particularly childrens oriented but it has so many different things that they always found something they liked.
Regarding The Louvre,which I loved for Obvious reasons, they thought it was tiring and uninteresting for them.
"To many paintings" was their comment.
Outside Paris in Giverny there is the Monet house and garden museum, I remember my children loved the place and something very important for them was the fact that the house has the actual place where he painted and the gardens are kept in a look very much like the one in his paintings.
Regarding The Louvre,which I loved for Obvious reasons, they thought it was tiring and uninteresting for them.
"To many paintings" was their comment.
Outside Paris in Giverny there is the Monet house and garden museum, I remember my children loved the place and something very important for them was the fact that the house has the actual place where he painted and the gardens are kept in a look very much like the one in his paintings.
Jun 15th, 2007, 11:06 AM
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I second many of the things above. I have kids at about the same age range, and here are some of their favorites.
- Jardin d'Acclimatation: probably most comprehensive. Has amusement park rides, kids' art museum, big playgrounds with lots of fun structures, a mini zoo, fun-house mirrors, trampolines, bungee jump, puppet show (will be in French though), etc.
- Jardin du Luxembourg: toy boat rental, a really great playground (for a small fee), puppet show, boat swings called balançoir, poney rides.
- Parc Floral at Bois de Vincennes: lots of green grass for just hanging out/picnics, HUGE playgrounds, 4-person bike/carriage, ball pit pool, bumper car rides, butterfly house, etc
- Tuilerie: this one has the advantage of being in the middle of lots of major monuments so it gives you a chance to decompress the kids on a day of adult-centric sightseeing. Has toy boat rental, poney rides, carousel, a small playground where everything spins, and trampolines.
- Jardin des Plantes: nice park, with Natural History museums and a zoo. The zoo is small but nice, and the museum on evolution is quite beautiful (one floor has a herd of African savanna animals (taxidermy) lined up as if they are on big migration), as well as the museum on comparative anatomy, which has dinosaur and other animal bones.
- La Villette is in Parc de la Villette that also has a large playground.
You will find little playgrounds EVERYWHERE in Paris, and they often have structures that one does not see in the US (that is, if you are from the US, which I realize you may not be).
My kids (younger end of your kids' age range) aren't that into art museums yet, but they sure love ice creams and pastries Paris has to offer! Have fun. I enjoy discovering Paris through my children's eyes.
- Jardin d'Acclimatation: probably most comprehensive. Has amusement park rides, kids' art museum, big playgrounds with lots of fun structures, a mini zoo, fun-house mirrors, trampolines, bungee jump, puppet show (will be in French though), etc.
- Jardin du Luxembourg: toy boat rental, a really great playground (for a small fee), puppet show, boat swings called balançoir, poney rides.
- Parc Floral at Bois de Vincennes: lots of green grass for just hanging out/picnics, HUGE playgrounds, 4-person bike/carriage, ball pit pool, bumper car rides, butterfly house, etc
- Tuilerie: this one has the advantage of being in the middle of lots of major monuments so it gives you a chance to decompress the kids on a day of adult-centric sightseeing. Has toy boat rental, poney rides, carousel, a small playground where everything spins, and trampolines.
- Jardin des Plantes: nice park, with Natural History museums and a zoo. The zoo is small but nice, and the museum on evolution is quite beautiful (one floor has a herd of African savanna animals (taxidermy) lined up as if they are on big migration), as well as the museum on comparative anatomy, which has dinosaur and other animal bones.
- La Villette is in Parc de la Villette that also has a large playground.
You will find little playgrounds EVERYWHERE in Paris, and they often have structures that one does not see in the US (that is, if you are from the US, which I realize you may not be).
My kids (younger end of your kids' age range) aren't that into art museums yet, but they sure love ice creams and pastries Paris has to offer! Have fun. I enjoy discovering Paris through my children's eyes.
Jun 15th, 2007, 11:58 AM
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A lot of these ideas could be of interest to them, of course (as well as the Arts Populaires out towards Neuilly), but there isn't really a museum specifically called a children's museum in Paris, as there are in some cities in the US.
