Four Off Beat Parisian Museums

For art lovers, few places hold as much allure as Paris, France. Of course, the Louvre holds enough to fascinate and captivate for weeks, but there are other venues as well, some almost totally ignored by the tourists that descend upon the historic city every year. These unknown galleries are often deliberately off the beaten path, both literally and metaphorically. Here are four of the more interesting unknown art venues of Paris.

1. Musee Carnavalet: The First Municipal Museum in Paris holds an undoubtedly eccentric collection of average, everyday items. Viewed in its parts, the contents of this Parisian museum are merely an odd mix of street signs and cast off items that once belonged to famous Parisians. Together, though, this conglomeration represents the entire history of the famed city. Located within easy distance of the luxury apartments and hotels of The Marais, the trip to experience this gallery will be worth the trip.
2. Musee Nissim de Camondo: All those who love 18th-century Parisian furniture and the trinkets of the incredibly wealthy should stop at this house-turned-museum. With all the appearances of one of the luxury apartments from centuries ago, this display consists of the private collection of a wealthy banker, who established it in the home for display to the public.
3. Maison la Roche: Fans of the work of French-Swiss designer Le Corbusier likely already have a visit to this location scheduled on their vacation. It holds much to interest those that do not already know a great deal about architecture. The starkly modern lines and furnishings in this home designed by Le Corbusier make it a change of pace from many tourists populated Parisian sites, and thus worth a stop.
4. Musee de Cluny: Also known as the National Museum of the Middle Ages, this comparatively unknown site inhabits a large space, a townhouse that looks almost like a small castle. The size alone would make its anonymity slightly surprising, but that fades upon viewing the odd, macabre collection. Within the walls of this gallery are the long dead, stuffed animal versions of the animals represented in the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries.

The building and streets of Paris hold an offering suitable for any taste. For those that seek something a little different than the normal tourist attractions and art venues, these four will serve quite well when you next visit Paris.