June 2026
Each time I spend a long time in Paris, I try to think of a list of things to visit. This year, I have decided to visit small, off-the-beaten-track museums. I chose one just two blocks from my apartment as my first: Arts and Metier, or the Museum of Arts and Crafts, established in 1885.
There are many reasons to visit the museum, the first being the building itself.
The museum is housed in the abandoned priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs in the 3rd arrondissement.
The priory church was completed in 1135. The nave was completed in the 13th century, as was the priory’s refectory. The latter two are attributed to Pierre de Montreuil. These are considered treasures of Medieval architecture and are the only surviving portions of the monastic complex.
The priory was suppressed in 1790 under the new laws of the French Revolution, and the buildings were used as a prison. The monastic walls and dormitories were torn down.
The museum itself was founded in 1794 by Henri Grégoire as the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, “a store of new and useful inventions,” and is a museum of technological innovation. Refurbished in 2000, it now exhibits over 2,400 inventions. They are split into seven collections: Scientific instruments, Materials, Energy, Mechanics, Construction, Communication, and Transport.
Hanging from the ceiling is a Breguet biplane from the early 20th century.
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I admit this one caught my eye. It is the 1938 Arzens La Baleine, a concept car designed by French artist Paul Arzens.
The car features an aerodynamic aluminum body inspired by whales and aviation, measuring nearly 23 feet long.
It was built on a 1928 Buick chassis and is famous for its “baleen” grille, which conceals the headlights.
I have a passion for automatronics, and the museum has some very special ones. Sadly, they are all static.
This one is La Soubrette Vitoxy, or the Vitoxy maid. She was an advertising automaton manufactured by Gaston Decamps between 1925 and 1930. According to an article in an auction catalog, she was supposed to be placed on the back of Vitoxy trucks.
This is the Avion III. It resembled an enormous bat made of linen and wood, with a 48 ft wingspan, equipped with two four-bladed tractor propellers, each powered by a 30-horsepower steam engine.
Zeus is the metallic horse that surged across the Seine during the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony.
He is out front of the museum, so you do not need an entry ticket to admire him. He also trots at various times of the day.
The museum is a gem, laid out for easy access to all the exhibits, and it has a lot of fascinating ones.