Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Paris

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I have always wondered what the buildings are up there whenever I visit the Eiffel Tower. Tourists, as you know, focus only on main attractions. One does not have to be an architecture or engineering student to appreciate La Cite de l'Architecture & Du Patrimoine. It definitely is worth the visit. Entrance was free when I visited it (was a Sunday).

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A fabulous sphere is the top attraction of a park that, to be honest, has nothing more very interesting.

Gardens, concert hall, music museum may fill your time but the sphere is really the only special thing.

Again the forecast was for rain. This time, they were right - it poured all day. We went to the Cite des Sciences et de L'Industrie (Science Museum) instead. We saw a movie (Imax but in the round and overhead - 360 degrees - they called it) called 'Grand Nord'. It was about people living in the north and their animals. It was very good (I didn't like it because it made me sick - motion sick, that is). Our daughter thought that the movie was made in English, the English translation sounded more authentic than the French translation. Most of the rest of the museum was not translated, and we neglected to get the audio tour (pretty stupid, really). We had a good time, anyway.

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We did not go to the Geode because we had seen several IMAX presentations at home next to the Aquarium in New Orleans. (Incidentally of our several grandchildren, 50% of them (under the age of 10) have reacted negatively to the intense sound experience of this medium, although years later the same children are "blowing their brains out" with headphones.

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There were several interactive exhibits and that was long ago. Many of the devices are today commonplace and probably have been replaced and many more added. At the time (1992) the museum served as a model for the entire world of children's museums and has been copied and developed.

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We visited the Cite many years ago when we had a 10-yr old grandson with us on his first visit to France. We felt he had had enough of castles, museums, churches, view and boat rides. At the time it was very incomplete; there was no Cite de Musique. The Pompidou-like factory facade was encouraging. There was a curious "fountain" out front (discuss force and gravity?).

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I can never remember the whole name of this museum! There is a lot to do at this museum! What caught my eye was the exhibition about aliens, and the question of whether or not we are alone in the universe! The attempts to answer this question were interesting and varied, such is the same for the other exhibitions! There are a lot of different exhibitions, some are permanent such as that regarding space and astronomy, others are temporary such as the alien one. Further information about current exhibitions can be found on the website.

There is also an IMAX cinema/theatre here, as well as a small aquarium and large, grassy grounds, so that you can run off and relax!

If like me you prefer museums that are more interactive, like science museums and natural history museums, you will love this museum! I prefer these types to art galleries and was eager to learn more about the world we live in!! I definately recommend this place!!

PRICE:
About 6 euros for students

Unless you speak French you won't understand much in this museum devoted to science. But woth a visit is the Geode, a special cinema right next door, that is in the shape of a huge ball with screens inside all around you so it has a 3D effect.