What it is: An enchanting museum dedicated to 19th and early 20th century European fairground games, rides, and attractions.
Why visit: Where else can you ride the world’s oldest carousel?
For those who: lapped up Water for Elephants, fantasized about joining the circus as a child, appreciate dark charm, are not intimidated by well-dressed, old-timey mannequins, and adore paper mâché decor
The brainchild of actor and antique dealer Jean Paul Favand, the Musée des Arts Forains opened in 1996 and is unlike any other museum in the world. Filled with quirky, funfair antiques (some you can even ride on!) that will delight, frighten, and amaze you, the whimsical museum appeals to adults and children alike. Tucked into the west side of the 12th arrondissement, the museum is located within the Pavillions of Bercy–warehouses once used to store wine in the 19th and 20th centuries. Appropriately nicknamed ‘Joyeux Bercy,’ the pavillions were once a designated party place due to it being just outside old city limits and not beholden to any taxes on wine. The warehouses now hold what began as Jean-Paul Favand's private collection of fairground antiques he acquired at auctions over the years. This collection has now evolved into the charming museum you can visit today, which opened in 1996.
Musée des Arts Forains offers over 50 fairground attractions across three thematic rooms, including 14 amusement rides, 18 sets of historical works, and 16 fair stalls and attractions. These rooms are the ‘Les Salons Vénitiens’ (The Venetian Lounges), ‘Le Théâtre du Merveilleu’ (the Theatre of Marvels), and the ‘Le Musée des Arts Forains’ (The Fairground Art Museum).
In ‘Les Salons Vénitiens,’ visitors can marvel at an Italian operatic show performed by somber automata before they hop onto a gondola merry-go-round. Old meets new in ‘Le Théâtre du Merveilleu,’ where visitors can watch an ode to the Exposition Universelle–the 1900 world’s fair held in Paris–in the form of an automatic orchestra and 12 video projectors that transform the walls into works of art. Inside ‘Le Musée des Arts Forains,’ the world’s oldest carousel–a true velocipede powered by bicycles–can be ridden along with the charming merry-go-round filmed in Midnight in Paris. Visitors would be remiss if they didn’t explore the outdoor venue space, the Théâtre de Verdure, a gorgeous outdoor area surrounded by ivy-covered walls that transports visitors to another time. The elaborate decorative details like hot air balloon painted ceilings and fairytale characters adorning the walls further add to the whimsical ambiance.
What you need to know before you go: As of this writing, visitors must book a tour in advance to visit the museum. Tours are held in French, although English pamphlets are available.
Where to find Musée des Arts Forains : 53 Avenue des Terroirs de France, 75012 Paris France
Ticket cost: Tickets are around 10-15 Euros for daytime tours and 20 Euros for special evening events held a few times per month.
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