Check out our list of weird museums in Paris.

5.) Curiosities’ Cabinet Deyrolle (Cabinet de curiosités Deyrolle)


 

Weird museums in Paris

To be surrounded of dead animals could be a little bit frightening, but it is also the proposition of the fifth museum of this Top 5 of weird museums in Paris. The family Deyrolle was the specialist of taxidermy and entomology in the 1830’s, and furnished a lot of pedagogic supports for biology in schools. It’s also pedagogic today, thanks to a lot of explanations, curiosities and well-conserved animals. The museum is in fact more a store, because you can rent or buy some animals! And a beautiful butterfly is not so expensive and remains a nice souvenir for children. At the street level you have a garden, and another store for gardening stuff – the garden is traditional and interesting. You learn a lot about the magic of the nature. Definitely a beautiful museum!

Monday 10:00 – 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 – 7:00 pm
46 rue du Bac, 75007 Paris
Métro: Rue du Bac (Line 12) or St-Germain-des-Prés (Line 4)

Too classic, too crowded, too big, three hours waiting lines… The Parisians museums aren’t always easy to visit! If you agree to skip the Impressionists’ Gallery or the Mona Lisa, this list of weird museums in Paris will please you. Who said that the museums were annoying?

4.) Magic Museum (Musée de la Magie)

musee-de-la-magie

The weird museums in Paris couldn’t miss a Magic Museum: it’s the definition of the weird! In the heart of the Marais, this museum is also one of the rare schools of magic in the world (if you can speak French and if you want to learn how to conjure white rabbits, it’s for you!). You can also find at the same address a museum of the Automats, which can be creepier. It’s full of magic (no, it’s not a joke!) especially for children who want to discover the secrets of the magicians. The setting is very nice (vaults from the Middle-Ages) and it’s surprising to discover that France has the oldest legacy for magic and conjuring in the world! You have specific rooms to enjoy the optic illusions for example; and a magic show included in the visit! It’s my favorite museum with my friends, or for children. Therefore you can take English private visits.

Wednesdays, Saturday, Sunday, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
11, rue St-Paul, 75004 Paris
Métro: Saint-Paul, Bastille or Sully-Morland (1, 5, 7, 8)

3.) Catacombs of Paris

catacombs

A famous museum among the weird museums in Paris. This huge underground cemetery was a stone quarry of the Roman period, before hosting the bones of the old Parisian cemeteries. It’s a great opportunity to discover the history of Paris – for example, the catacombs became the headquarters of the Resistance during the World War II! The setting is (a little bit) creepy, sometimes surprising: you have a heart formed with skulls… But it’s also the best place if you want to avoid a heat wave, because the temperature is in average of +14°C! Be careful, it’s really often crowded, I advise you to buy your tickets online to skip the long waiting lines before. It’s not expensive (10€ online), and an unforgettable visit for sure!

Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00 pm – 5:00 pm
1 avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris
Métro: Denfert-Rochereau (Lines 4, 6, and RER B)

2.) Museum of the Sewers (Musée des Égouts)

musee-des-egouts

One of the weirdest museums in Paris – even in the world. Yes, people pay to visit the sewers of Paris. And yes it’s great! You will learn a lot about the modernity of the sewers of Paris, because when they were created, it was really modern and progressive. Don’t worry, it’s not that dirty, you have no horrible smells, and there is no problem with the claustrophobia. And as it is underground, it’s a good way to find some coolness during a hot summer! The engineering of the sewers will impress you. Therefore, every sign have an English translation, a luxury in Paris. I advise you to avoid your beautiful shoes and prefer your tennis shoes for this visit.

Closed on Thursdays and Fridays 11:00 – 5:00 pm
Alma Bridge, 75007 Paris, Habib-Bourguiba esplanade
Métro: Pont de l’Alma (Line 9) or Alma-Marceau (RER C)

1.) Museum of the History of Medicine (Musée Dupuytren)

musee-dupuytren

THE best museum of this Top 5 of weird museums in Paris. What’s for a museum! If you want to see really creepy things, it’s the perfect place to be. But be careful, it’s really disgusting! This museum is in the indoor of the medicine university, in the Latin Quarter, and was created in 1835. His founder was the very famous surgeon Dupuytren who also revolutionized the medicine in the XVIIIth century. You will find here a lot of wax anatomical models – disgusting to see parts of visages with terrible malformations – but also true skeletons, or corpses of disabled animals or babies conserved in alcohol. I advise you to take your sensible friends or children away from this museum. But if you are ready for it, I promise you that you won’t forget your visit! Therefore, it’s really cheap.

Weekdays, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Closed between the 20th of July and the 2nd of September
15 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, 75006 Paris
Métro: Odéon (Line 4)

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