June 2026

In keeping with my desire to visit museums this year, I have been attempting to brave the 90+ temperatures of Paris and go exploring.

The Bourse

I always get to the Bourse when in Paris because the special exhibitions in the Rotunda are usually spectacular.  This year, I admit, I was not impressed.

The exhibit was a fog machine by Fujiko Nakaya.  I have seen several of her installations, including one at the Exploratorium in my hometown of San Francisco, since she began doing them in the early 1990s.

Here are a few shots from the installation.

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Museum of the History of Medicine

The Museum of the History of Medicine is located on the second floor of the historic École de Médecine building, which is now part of Paris Cité University.

The room itself is lovely and air-conditioned.  However, all the labels are only in French.

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I was enamored with this wood skeleton, which sadly doesn’t photograph well behind glass
The museum begins with ancient times. Vase de pharmacie from 1629
French Army doctor’s kit found on the battlefield of Waterloo
Dr. Antommarchi’s kit, which was used for the autopsy of Napoleon I at Saint Helena
The paper brains are meant to be placed in the cranium

This table is formed of brains, blood, bile, liver, lungs on which stand a foot, four ears and vertebrae cut off also petrified

This is somewhat alluring and disgusting all at the same time. This table is formed of brains, blood, bile, liver, lungs  on which stand a foot, four ears, and vertebrae cut off, also petrified.

The stairway up to the museum

There are approximately 130 museums in Paris.  A lifetime of exploration.