5 Reasons to Visit the Musee du Chocolat

5 Reasons to Visit the Musee du Chocolat

Paris is filled with hidden gems. Some I can tell you about… others you’ll have to find purely by chance.

It’s not very often, however, that I come across a museum that I had previously had no knowledge of. In Paris it sometimes feels like there is a museum for everything — and this would largely be true.

Just the other day I was introduced to the Museum of Magic largely by accident. With some time to kill in the 4th arrondissement I crossed the Pont Marie and strolled right past this bizarre attraction; a museum solely dedicated to the art of magic.

Chocolate Eiffel Tower at Musée du Chocolat – by Eunostos – Wikimedia Commons

This next museum, the Chocolate Museum of Paris, reminds me a lot of the magic one. It’s a whole other kind of magic… especially if you are even slightly partial to chocolate.

The Chocolate Museum is everything you’d expect — but a whole lot more and then some. It’s truly a day trip for all of the senses and a much lighter museum experience compared to the rest of the fine art and history museums that Paris is filled with.

As if anyone really needs five reasons to visit a museum dedicated to chocolate…

Musée du Chocolat

28 Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle

Price: €11

Hours: Open every day from 10am to 6pm

1. Children Love It 

Keeping children entertained in Paris can be a challenge at the best of times. Between the free guided walking tours and parks you’re bound to run out of ideas at some point.

I don’t need to tell you that museums such as the Louvre and Cluny Museum aren’t necessarily youth appropriate. Great news: The Paris Chocolate Museum is!

Musee du Chocolat – by Musee du Chocolat – Sourced from their website

Between the exhibitions, live seminars, thousands of historical objects and interactive workshops they will be entertained for hours. It helps that chocolate is such a universally loved entity for people of all ages — so you’ll be able to enjoy all of the museum along with your kids without losing interest.

The staff are very good at engaging with the kids that visit the space and will adapt content along therapy to include them in the fun. Well worth a day out in Paris.

2. Taste Chocolate All Day

Let’s get this straight. You can show up at a building in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, pay €11 to go inside, and spend the day eating chocolate to your hearts content?

That would be correct.

Amongst learning the in depth history of the chocolate world you’ll also be encouraged to taste all kinds of weird and wonderful chocolates along the way.

Musee du Chocolat – by Musee du Chocolat – Sourced from their website

Starting from the history of cacao right through to modern chocolate making and the way we manipulate the plant to achieve different flavors; the experience is highly interactive and having each step on your tongue as you go along makes it even more immersive.

All the tastings are included in the cost of admission. If you choose to attend the workshop you’ll be given a bunch of chocolates to take home in the end.

3. Explore the 2nd Arrondissement

The 2nd arrondissement of Paris is an interesting place because it is the districts that boarders the very center of Paris. The 1st arrondissement can be crowded, especially near the main attractions such as the Tuileries Garden or the Pompidou Center.

Moving up into the 2nd things become pleasantly more calm — however there are no shortages of attractions.

Grevin Museum, Paris – by BlueEagle1 – Wikimedia Commons

On the same road as the Chocolate Museum, just slightly to the west, you’ll find the Grevin Museum; another very wonderful place to take children! The Grevin is a wax museum; Paris’ own Madame Tussauds if you will. Consider doing this one in the morning, breaking at one of the nearby restaurants for lunch and then visiting the Chocolate Museum last.

Movie theaters are in abundance in the 2nd arrondissement. At night you’ll see the flow of people coming and going as they bounce between pizza restaurants and the nearby cinemas. Amongst them walking tours taking place as the sun descends on the city of lights and Paris starts to come alive .

4. Do A Chocolate Making Class

The standard admission for the Chocolate Museum gets you into all the exhibits and seminars with a ton of chocolate to taste along the way. You also have the added option of purchasing a ticket that includes the chocolate making workshop. This is €35 per person.

The workshop is a highly entertaining class where you’ll work with head chocolatiers in recreating some of the worlds best chocolate recipes from scratch. It is suitable for both children and adults.

Chocolate making class – by Musée du Chocolat – Sourced from their website

Aside from being fun, the class is also highly informative and culinary accurate. You’ll develop skills you really can use in the outside world to create your own treats.

The goodies you make will be sent home with you in the end, so the cost of admission is well worth it.

5. Bask in Chocolate History

Too often are we consumed by the news of the world and the horrific periods of history that come with being human. It is so refreshing to spend a day learning about a completely different kind of history; the history of a plant that evolved into the world phenomenon it is today.

What’s more, you’ll go home with more interesting dinner table conversation content than you’ve probably had in a while. Did you know the first chocolate bar was made in 1847?

Historic artifacts at Musee du Chocolat – by Eunostos – Wikimedia Commons

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Treat yourself to a day at Paris’ Chocolate Museum. Go with friends or family, it’s the kind of place you want to enjoy with people! An unexpected yet highly enjoyable little gem in the heart of Paris’ 2nd.