Musée de l’Homme

The location of the Museum of Humanity couldn’t be better: it’s in the northern wing of the Palais de Chaillot on Trocadero overlooking the Eiffel Tower. In fact, despite the excellent exhibits, the Eiffel Tower keeps stealing the show, peeping in through every window.

Wandering through this enormous space is enlightening. Indeed it’s so large that the extensive permanent exhibition of pre-historic to modern leftovers of mankind barely fills it, despite bringing together innumerable pieces to tell the story of mankind including both our progress and our downfalls.

Working hand in hand with the National Museum of Natural History in the Jardin des Plantes, the museum takes you on a journey, all our journey, highlighting basics, such as our brains, skull formations, our diverse colors, and our evolution. But it also looks at our tools, our way of making a living, and globalization as seen through the cellphone cases created by different cultures across the globe.

The museum highlights our differences and our similarities, reminding us that, in the end, we are all human. The temporary exhibitions also reinforce this message.

Recent exhibitions include: Piercing which—as you can probably guess—was all about the history of piercings; Etre Beau (Being Beautiful), a show of stunning photographs of people with disabilities; and Je mange donc je suis (I Eat, Therefore I am), a scientific exhibition on our bodies’ relationship with food.

All in all, the Musée de l’Homme is an untraditional Paris museum. Not only are there no crowds, but it also offers incredible views and thought-provoking exhibits. It’s a place to slow down and learn something, and it’s the a great museum to explore with children of all ages.

If you ask me, it’s certainly well worth a visit, especially since I know you’ll be just outside admiring the Eiffel Tower!

The Musée de l’Homme is open every day except Tuesdays, 11am–7pm. Tickets are 12€ for adults, 15€ during temporary exhibitions.

Discover more off-the-beaten-path museums with a visit to one of these Top 5 Best Small Art Museums in Paris.