Product Description

A practical guide to 30 often-overlooked museums in and around Paris, from the romantic and exotic to the eccentric and humorous. A profile of each museum is included, with photographs of significant features, and information such as address and phone number, opening times and travel directions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #792180 in Books
• Published on: 1996-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 216 pages

From Amazon.com
Those who seek something off the beaten path in Paris need look no further: Rachel Kaplan has uncovered some 30 museums, ranging from the grand--Alexandre Dumas's Monte-Cristo Estate--to the quaint, such as the Fan Museum, which houses nearly 800 French fans. Of the Museum of the Institute of the Arab World, Kaplan remarks, "[it] contains a precious legacy which not only helps to illuminate the past, but also enhances our understanding of many current advances we may have come to take for granted. Its handsome and well-documented displays of sumptuous woven rugs and textiles, richly embroidered costumes, ceramics and scientific instruments, confirm that without the influence of Arabic art and science, the world as we know it today would be a very different place." With beautiful color photographs and affectionate commentary, Little-Known Museums in and Around Paris is the perfect tonic for travelers with the "been there, done that" blues. --Jhana Bach

From Library Journal
Kaplan's Paris guide is as quaint as the title: it has wonderful color illustrations that make perusing a joy, and it is written in an easy-to-read style that will make readers wish they were in Paris, if they don't already. The charming presentation masks in-depth data on 30 Parisian museums, including up-to-date, accurate information such as hours and telephone numbers and a useful map. A good choice for most large travel collections.
Jennifer L.S. Moldwin, Detroit Inst. of Arts Lib.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

For the Paris Devotee'
We recently used this guide extensively while in Paris for a week. Having done the usual "big name" tourist stops, we were looking for a convenient way to see Paris in-depth. This book met our needs completely. I am looking forward to more work from this author.

After the Louvre and Orsay, What?
Rachel Kaplan's engaging little book is a fascinating guide to some of the many museums in and around Paris that do NOT make it into the big guidebooks. Everyone has heard of the Louvre, the Orsay, even the Musee Rodin, but what about the others? Some of them are small museums run by devoted individuals; at least one (the Musee de la Marine in the Trocadero complex) is, I believe, run by the French government.

This is a book badly in need of updating. Three years ago, when I used to to visit the Maison de Balzac on Rue Raynouard, the information on transportation, hours, and addresses was of relatively recent vintage and, consequently, more trustworthy.

While Kaplan's contributions are wonderful and the many black and white and color photographs memorable, the publisher did a very mediocre job of presentation. I do not care for the book's alphabetic orientation and deplore the unhelpful single map.

One more negative: There are many other small museums in Paris that are not even mentioned in passing, such as the Musee de la Serrure (locks, keys, and door knockers); Musee de la Poste (mail service); Musee Guimet (Oriental art); the new museum of Jewish history near the Pompidou Center -- to mention just a few.

And yet, I look forward in a couple of weeks to visiting the Musee Delacroix and the Musee Cognac-Jay, neither of which appear in my other guidebooks. This is a very useful book for those who wish to explore lesser-known parts of the City of Lights. I look forward to a new edition which will make it even more useful.

Great book about Paris Museums!
We own a copy of 'Little Known Museums in and Around Paris', and after over 18 years of visiting Paris and its many Great museums, we found that we still missed 12 out of the 30 museums listed in her book.Now we can't wait to go back and visit these 12 that Ms. Kaplan has so thoroughly and appealingly described, with the many magnificent photos and well researched text, this is a book to savour in an armchair, or to use to preview your next trip. We have already put 'The Fan Museum' and the 'Maurice Ravel Museum' on our 'MUST SEE', for our upcoming summer trip. Thank you for listening.

Lana & Murray Singer (New York City)