Stefan's Paris Picks
Our Danish-Brazilian assistant art director, Stefan Caiafa, spent a blissful year as a student in Paris at the satellite campus of New York's Parsons School of Art & Design (now Parsons The New School for Design), and I persuaded him to share a few of his favorite Paris tips:
Musée Gustave-Moreau: One of the many delightful small museums in Paris, this one is dedicated to the life and work of French Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau, located in his former home. His studio is intact at the top of the house, and you can browse through his framed sketches. Stefan especially admires "the iron construction of the spiral staircase linking the studios—made to Moreau's specification—which contrasts beautifully with the floor-to-ceiling paintings arranged around it."
Musée de la Musique: This museum tells the history of Western music through its collection of musical instruments. You put on a pair of infrared headphones at the entrance, and as you approach each instrument on display, you can hear it play music. You can listen to recorded excerpts from famous compositions, from harpsichords to vintage guitars, or attend a live concert in their top-notch concert hall. The museum has been undergoing an extensive renovation which will be unveiled on March 8. "One of the best museum experiences I've ever had," says Stefan. "It's in the La Villette neighborhood, an experience in itself."
Musée National du Moyen Age: The National Museum of the Middle Ages is noted for its ancient textiles, especially medieval tapestries. Their collection is huge, so only a portion of it is on display at one time. The colors of some of these tapestries are amazing; for example, the sublime 15th-century "Lady and the Unicorn." Stefan adds: "Also of note are the Gallo-Roman baths (Thermes de Cluny) whose ruins the museum was built on."
Parsons Paris School of Art & Design: Naturally, Stefan suggests that you stop by "during spring to see featured work from different departments (Photography, Fashion Design, etc). The off-site End of Year show allows one to view all projects in one go—contact the school for details on location."
Our web-exclusive feature, Free Paris!, written by Traveler researcher and frequent IT blogger Katie Knorovsky, reveals when the Musée National du Moyen Âge and other Paris museums open their doors without charge, as well as lots of other free attractions in Paris.
Photo: Jean-Alain Le Borgne, taken at Musée de la Musique during L'Expo John Lennon, via Flickr.
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