★★★★★ 5.0
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Palais de la découverte
This palace is 37 years older than the museum inside it. The Grand Palais has stood here since 1900, but the Palais de la Découverte didn't arrive until 1937 when Nobel Prize winner Jean Perrin created what he called a "temporary" science exhibition. Temporary turned out to be quite relative... one million visitors flooded through in just four months. During World War Two, German incendiary devices torched the organic chemistry room in August 1944, leaving scorch marks that visitors can still spot today. The museum just reopened this past June after its first major renovation in decades, complete with that famous "L'École des Rats" where you can watch laboratory rats navigate mazes to study animal behavior. Standing here on Avenue du Général Eisenhower, you're about to enter 25,000 square meters where science literally comes alive through live demonstrations that have been wowing crowds for nearly 90 years.
Did You Know?
- Founded during the 1937 International Exposition dedicated to Art and Technology in Modern Life, the Palais de la Découverte was the brainchild of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Jean Perrin, who envisioned a space where the public could directly engage with scientific discovery—a radical idea at the time that helped democratize science education in France.
- The museum houses France’s first planetarium, featuring a massive 15-meter (50-foot) dome and a historic Zeiss projector, offering immersive cosmic journeys that have captivated visitors since its opening—making it a must-see for families and a pioneering achievement in French science outreach.
- Unlike traditional museums, the Palais de la Découverte is renowned for its live, interactive science demonstrations led by enthusiastic presenters—visitors can witness dramatic experiments in physics, chemistry, and biology, often with chances to participate, creating a dynamic, hands-on experience that delights children and adults alike.