The Science and Industry Museum, opened in 1986, was part of a huge urban renewal project which transformed the site of the former slaughterhouses of Paris. The museum is designed to be a hands-on learning experience for young and old. The permanent exhibition, Explora, covers a wide range of subjects, including space and the universe, mathematics, medicine, and biology. 
The special exhibitions are highly acclaimed. The museum also includes a
planetarium and a Geode in which panoramic films are shown (special entry prices) as well a Children’s City designed for young children (2-7 years and 5-12 years) (reservations recommended). The Children’s City is a fully interactive space in which children can learn about basic scientific concepts while playing. The impressive Argonaute submarine is also on display just next to the Géode.
You could easily spend the day at the museum, but the surrounding park is not to be missed. This is a modern park combining geometrically aligned spaces with other more densely wooded spaces. The Ourcq Canal cuts through the park. This canal is still used by barges, and more and more for leisure activities such as rowing. The footpath and bike path along the canal are also interesting and continue for 35 kilometers north-east of Paris. For more information about the park and the activities offered there: www.lavillette.com. For more information about the museum: www.cite-sciences.fr.
Hours
The Science and Industry Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9.30 to 18.00; Sundays from 9.30 – 19.00; closed Mondays. Hours may differ for the Planetarium, the Géode and the Children’s City. Please consult the museum’s website.
How to get there
The entrance to the museum is located at 30, avenue Corentin-Cariou – 75019 Paris. From the hotel, take metro line 4 from Saint-Michel to Gare de l’est; at Gare de l’est, take line 7 in the direction of La Courneuve – 8 mai 1945 and get off at the Porte de la Villette Station, from which you can follow the signs to the museum entrance.
The trip takes approximately 25 minutes.
Hotel Marignan’s advice
The Villette Park is the perfect place for a relaxing picnic lunch. Your children will also enjoy playing on the huge lawns or in one of the play areas, which include some huge slides. After lunch, enjoy a view of the splendid architecture of the new Philharmonic Hall, designed by Jean Nouvel, on the edge of the park. Why not end the day with a visit to the Music Museum, located next door to the Philharmonic Hall? Check out the many concerts designed specifically for families at www.citedelamusique.fr and www.philharmoniedeparis.fr.
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