With over 200 different venues, Paris is home to the world’s largest concentration of museums. Often founded based on donated private collections, these curious venues look into history as well as the particular subject they cover.  Once you’ve visited the “big hit” museums, like the Louvre, Orsay and Pompidou Museum, venture off the beaten path to these quirky museums.

Phono Museum / Facebook

Phono Museum

At the base of Montmartre and in the heart of Paris’s music district is this notable museum dedicated to evolution of phonographic devices. On display are over 100 vintage gramophones and other early musical recording machines as well as posters and other memorabilia of this art made obsolete by digital technology.

Musée de la Contrefaçon / Facebook

Musée de la Contrefaçon

The Museum of Counterfeiting is found within an elegant mansion in the 16th district, which is itself a copy of an older historic mansion. The museum presents a wide variety of copied objects, ranging from Louis Vuitton bags to Rodin statues, displayed next to genuine items.

Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

Situated within two 17th-century private mansions in the North Marais is an eclectic collection akin to a Noah’s Arc of animals from the four corners of the globe and in various forms. The Hunting and Nature Museum is organized as an intriguing cabinet of curiosities that looks straight out of a West Anderson movie.

Musée d’histoire de la médecine, Photo: Emile Barret / CC

The Museum of the History of Medicine

Even if you’re not deeply interested in the topic, this medical history museum is housed within a stunning room of the former Medical College in the Saint Germain neighborhood. It contains the oldest collection of historic medical devices and images, which are certainly fascinating to discover after you’ve taken in the beautiful surroundings. 

Les Egouts de Paris. Photo: Mairie de Paris

Les Égouts de Paris

Certainly one of the least most expected museums in chic Paris, this museum offers a unique opportunity to go underground… as you learn about the City of Paris’ sewerage system. Fear not, the experience is safe and clean. Visitors start by learning about the history and environmental issues of the sewers in the dry gallery before moving on to the wet gallery, which discovers a small part of the vast system’s water reservoirs and galleries.

Looking for other original things to do in Paris? Gain further inspiration from these other articles from our blog:

• Best Small Museums in Paris
• Touring the Former Villages of Paris
• Offbeat Historic Sites to Seek Out in Paris
• Alternative Places to See Art in Paris 

Top Photo: Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature / Facebook