Nuit Des Musées, probably one of the best nights I've had in Paris...
It's not just Nuit Blanche here guys, they have other 'Nuit's' too!!! Last night was Nuit Des Musées, or Museum Night! http://nuitdesmusees.culture.fr/ That means, a handful of museums across Paris were open for free till the wee hours.
So to start off, a friend of mine, who reminds me of Anthony so hard down to the flick of his cigarette and tilt of his fedora (I told Anthony when he called me last night to which he answered, "Then you must be wildly attracted to him!"), told me to meet him at Republique (Line 3, 5, 8, 9) at around 18h15 to go to the Galerie Musée Baccarat (Boissiere, Line 6). I remembered that I wanted to see this museum, but couldn't remember what was in it. It's the Crystal museum. He chose that as the first stop because, "I thought it would be fitted for you because of your name." Haaa...They currently have an exhibit of pieces from the 20s which included perfume bottles, dishes, glasses and carafes etc. As well, their boutique is just as much a museum gallery with it's setup of chandeliers, glass wear and jewelry. The museum is in a fancy rococo style building which made for a cute juxtaposition, Rococo building-Deco exhibit. It also has this really swish looking restaurant called, what else, Le Cristal Room.
The next stop was at Trocadéro (Line 6, 9) which we just walked to because it was so close and the rain had let up. Oh, I didn't mention it started pouring as soon as we left Boissiere, so we had to run into a cafe and have a drink and wait for it to let up. It's been rainy for the passed few days, which isn't bad. My friend hadn't heard the term 'pouring' used to describe rain too, so that was cute. I've also learned that because I don't have a full command of the language yet, it's a nightmare trying to be witty! Anyway, we walked to Trocadero to take the metro to another museum, but I forgot that Trocadéro had museums, so we stopped in when we got there. It's called Palais de Chaillot and there is an Eastern wing, which houses Cité de L'Architecture en du Patrimoine, and the West wing, Musée de L'Homme and Musée de la Marine. (Architecture and inheritance, museum of mankind and the marine museum.)
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Cité was really beautiful and full of reproductions and actual pieces of gothic architecture and sculpture from different churches around France. It's huge inside, so some of the reproductions went right to the ceiling to illustrate the arches and spires of the certain cathedrals. We tried to get into Musée de L'Homme, but it was closed and the marine museum looked a smidge lame.
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One stop over on the same line, at Léna, is the one museum I have been dying to see since I got here. I have been too lazy to check it out. Like living anywhere and getting into the groove of my everyday, I've already started to take for granted some of the awesomeness this city really has to offer. Every time I take someone to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time, I get reminded with a big slap in the face to take advantage of this opportunity of living here. It makes me appreciate Toronto more too and makes me sad that I won't be able to use my ROM membership for a while. Anyway, The museum I've wanted to check out forever is Musée Galliera de la Mode de la Ville de Paris. What a mouthful. Almost like that guys department in the government in Iron Man, what was it again? Essentially, to shorten it up, it's the Fashion museum. This museum has a collection of a lot of beautiful pieces of fashion history and stores it all in this Italian style villa with a beautiful garden and entryway. This was the most disappointing museum of the whole night. I have to go back to see the permanent collection which was closed off to the public. I can't even remember who the woman was whose pieces were on display. There were just 12 tall pieces hanging from the ceiling of woolen baby sweaters with long trains attached to the bottom that reached the floor. They almost looked like those long christening dresses for babies. The manipulation of the fabrics, synthetic and wool were interesting, but it really wasn't much to look at. There was a line outside too, which made it even more of a disappointment. By the time we got in, and then realised that that was it, it felt like such a waste of time.
Lastly, and where we spent the most time, Palais de la Decouverte (Franklin D. Roosevelt, Line 1, 9). The discovery museum, kind of like an interactive science museum. This museum was packed full of fun interactive and educational activities as well as special presentations all night about the elements, magnets and electricity. The main attractions were about earthquakes and volcanoes, ants and termites, tsunamis, magnets and I think rats. In the earthquakes and volcanoes room, they had a simulation ride to feel different types of earthquakes on the richter scale. It was worth the line up. They simulated one from Taiwan that was at 7.6 and then one from India that was about an 8. The ants and termites exhibit took you through giant versions of anthills. When you got out, there were all these different stations with ants or termites working away. It was adorable to see little red ants carrying giant rose petals. Or little black ants carrying other dead ants. They're so strong and really work together. Then we went to see a magnet demonstration. The woman was so smart and enthusiastic about magnets and electrical currents. I couldn't catch everything because it was in really rapid fire French, but I was able to make out most of what she said. Thank you grade 10 science. They had this giant lightning machine shaped like a mushroom and she turned the light off and just let it rip. It was beautiful. The magnet room was fun, and reminded me of Brad.
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We ended the night by going to meet friends for a party on Ile Saint-Louis. I got a text saying to be at Pont Marie in 15 minutes. So, we got on the metro, and with train switches, it was going to take us about 15 minutes to get there. For the switch to line 7, the train arrived and we got in the car, and by chance, the people we were supposed to meet were on the same car! Crazy! The rest of the night was just as fun...in conclusion, last night was probably one of my best nights here so far.
So to start off, a friend of mine, who reminds me of Anthony so hard down to the flick of his cigarette and tilt of his fedora (I told Anthony when he called me last night to which he answered, "Then you must be wildly attracted to him!"), told me to meet him at Republique (Line 3, 5, 8, 9) at around 18h15 to go to the Galerie Musée Baccarat (Boissiere, Line 6). I remembered that I wanted to see this museum, but couldn't remember what was in it. It's the Crystal museum. He chose that as the first stop because, "I thought it would be fitted for you because of your name." Haaa...They currently have an exhibit of pieces from the 20s which included perfume bottles, dishes, glasses and carafes etc. As well, their boutique is just as much a museum gallery with it's setup of chandeliers, glass wear and jewelry. The museum is in a fancy rococo style building which made for a cute juxtaposition, Rococo building-Deco exhibit. It also has this really swish looking restaurant called, what else, Le Cristal Room.
The next stop was at Trocadéro (Line 6, 9) which we just walked to because it was so close and the rain had let up. Oh, I didn't mention it started pouring as soon as we left Boissiere, so we had to run into a cafe and have a drink and wait for it to let up. It's been rainy for the passed few days, which isn't bad. My friend hadn't heard the term 'pouring' used to describe rain too, so that was cute. I've also learned that because I don't have a full command of the language yet, it's a nightmare trying to be witty! Anyway, we walked to Trocadero to take the metro to another museum, but I forgot that Trocadéro had museums, so we stopped in when we got there. It's called Palais de Chaillot and there is an Eastern wing, which houses Cité de L'Architecture en du Patrimoine, and the West wing, Musée de L'Homme and Musée de la Marine. (Architecture and inheritance, museum of mankind and the marine museum.)
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Cité was really beautiful and full of reproductions and actual pieces of gothic architecture and sculpture from different churches around France. It's huge inside, so some of the reproductions went right to the ceiling to illustrate the arches and spires of the certain cathedrals. We tried to get into Musée de L'Homme, but it was closed and the marine museum looked a smidge lame.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
One stop over on the same line, at Léna, is the one museum I have been dying to see since I got here. I have been too lazy to check it out. Like living anywhere and getting into the groove of my everyday, I've already started to take for granted some of the awesomeness this city really has to offer. Every time I take someone to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time, I get reminded with a big slap in the face to take advantage of this opportunity of living here. It makes me appreciate Toronto more too and makes me sad that I won't be able to use my ROM membership for a while. Anyway, The museum I've wanted to check out forever is Musée Galliera de la Mode de la Ville de Paris. What a mouthful. Almost like that guys department in the government in Iron Man, what was it again? Essentially, to shorten it up, it's the Fashion museum. This museum has a collection of a lot of beautiful pieces of fashion history and stores it all in this Italian style villa with a beautiful garden and entryway. This was the most disappointing museum of the whole night. I have to go back to see the permanent collection which was closed off to the public. I can't even remember who the woman was whose pieces were on display. There were just 12 tall pieces hanging from the ceiling of woolen baby sweaters with long trains attached to the bottom that reached the floor. They almost looked like those long christening dresses for babies. The manipulation of the fabrics, synthetic and wool were interesting, but it really wasn't much to look at. There was a line outside too, which made it even more of a disappointment. By the time we got in, and then realised that that was it, it felt like such a waste of time.
Lastly, and where we spent the most time, Palais de la Decouverte (Franklin D. Roosevelt, Line 1, 9). The discovery museum, kind of like an interactive science museum. This museum was packed full of fun interactive and educational activities as well as special presentations all night about the elements, magnets and electricity. The main attractions were about earthquakes and volcanoes, ants and termites, tsunamis, magnets and I think rats. In the earthquakes and volcanoes room, they had a simulation ride to feel different types of earthquakes on the richter scale. It was worth the line up. They simulated one from Taiwan that was at 7.6 and then one from India that was about an 8. The ants and termites exhibit took you through giant versions of anthills. When you got out, there were all these different stations with ants or termites working away. It was adorable to see little red ants carrying giant rose petals. Or little black ants carrying other dead ants. They're so strong and really work together. Then we went to see a magnet demonstration. The woman was so smart and enthusiastic about magnets and electrical currents. I couldn't catch everything because it was in really rapid fire French, but I was able to make out most of what she said. Thank you grade 10 science. They had this giant lightning machine shaped like a mushroom and she turned the light off and just let it rip. It was beautiful. The magnet room was fun, and reminded me of Brad.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
We ended the night by going to meet friends for a party on Ile Saint-Louis. I got a text saying to be at Pont Marie in 15 minutes. So, we got on the metro, and with train switches, it was going to take us about 15 minutes to get there. For the switch to line 7, the train arrived and we got in the car, and by chance, the people we were supposed to meet were on the same car! Crazy! The rest of the night was just as fun...in conclusion, last night was probably one of my best nights here so far.