Musée Carnavalet

The "Musée Carnavalet", located in the Marais area (Saint-Paul or Chemin Vert metro stations), is the place to visit if you want to know more about the history of Paris.

L'hôtel Carnavalet, which hosts the museum, dates back from the 16th century, and is considered a pioneer in terms of Parisian hôtel layout with its buildings surrounding a central rectangular garden or "cour". It is not too far from the "Place des Vosges" (a couple of blocks), which is certainly worth seeing if you are already in the area.

The permanent collections are free to see. You only need to pay if you want to see the temporary exhibitions. For more info, visit Musée Carnavalet.