Musée des Arts et Métiers

In the third arrondissement, the Musée des Arts et Métiers takes you on a journey through the history of technology. Founded in 1794 and located in the former Saint-Martin-des-Champs priory, this museum is packed with inventions: the original Foucault pendulum, the first model of the Statue of Liberty, early airplanes, and Pascal’s mechanical calculator.

Spread across seven themes—from materials to transport—the museum shows more than 2,500 highlights from a collection of 80,000 objects. You walk past cars, planes, and the Foucault pendulum, all displayed in the old church building.

The museum features in books like ‘Foucault’s Pendulum’ by Umberto Eco and in documentaries about the Statue of Liberty. It’s a tribute to human imagination and ingenuity, and a must-see for anyone curious about the crossroads of art, science, and history in Paris.