THE GUIDE MUSEUMS 2021


The Musée Cinéma et Miniature in Lyon will give you a new perspective on the world


strike up a tune for nobody in particular. A portly businessman clad in tweed clutches his belly and cackles so hard that his head jiggles. A sinister-looking Pierrot pours himself a tipple and scans the room, whilst a little girl, whose face is far from fine, hops over a skipping rope – except her feet never touch the ground. Welcome to the Musée de l’Automate (the Museum of Automata), which boasts a collection of 300 mechanical toys from the 19th and 20th centuries. Until the end of October this year, there’s a special feline-based exhibition. The mind boggles. www.musee-automate.fr


Musée de la Magie 4th arrondissement, Paris For a dose of whimsy and wonder, duck into the underground Museum of Magic in Paris’s 4th arrondissement. Inside, exposed stone and red carpet – not unlike the lining of a magician’s cape – dominate a


140 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Aug/Sep 2021


small and mysterious space. (Claustrophobia sufferers may want to sit this one out). Families will love the live magic tricks and assortment of props, gizmos and posters, not to mention the neighbouring Musée des Automates in the same cellar. (FYI, it’s possible to buy a combined ticket for both museums thereby saving a few sous). But what’s most creepy of all about la Musée de la Magie is that the infamous Marquis de Sade used to reside in the building above. It’s only open to visitors on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. www.museedelamagie.com


Musée Louis de Funès Saint-Raphaël, Var


Louis de Funès was one of France’s best-loved comic actors, with a CV that included over 150 film roles and 100 stage plays, from the 1940s to the 1980s. He was famous for his high-energy performances and arsenal of facial expressions, lending him


the nickname “the man with 40 faces per minute”. This museum, in Saint-Raphaël, is dedicated to his life and work, and features hundreds of film clips, voice recordings, photos, artworks and letters. Until May 2022, there’s an exhibition dedicated to Louis’ 1965 comedy film Le Corniaud (The Sucker), one of the 25 most watched films in France of all time, apparently. museedefunes.fr


Musée des Vampires Les Lilas, Seine-Saint-Denis You don’t need to be a bloodsucker to adore this small cabinet of curiosities, tucked away in Paris’s eastern suburbs. Privately run out of the curator’s own home, this macabre museum invites guests (by appointment only, we should point out) to marvel at Jacques Sirgent’s creepy collection of vampiric paraphernalia, from antique literature and movie posters to a mummified cat and vampire protection kit from the


1800s. Bolstered by Sirgent’s seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of the shadowy netherworld, a short spell here is truly unforgettable – and not for the faint of heart. artclips.free.fr/musee_des_ vampires/MuseeVampires1


Musée Cinéma et Miniature Lyon, Rhône


Proof that good things come in small packages, this bizarre museum features shrunken- down scenes that could have been plucked from real life – from classrooms to kitchens, libraries to barbershops. This fantastical miniature world is the brainchild of miniaturist artist Dan Ohlmann and features the work of several of his contemporaries, with all items lovingly created in minute detail. Also here are props from modern cinema, such as the Queen from the Alien franchise and the terrifying killer doll Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise. museeminiatureetcinema.fr FT


IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCK


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