Arts et Metiers

I'd planned to go to the Musee des Arts et Metiers because they were having their twice monthly showing of the Automates in action on Sunday. We met up with some people from home and after lunch at the cafe across the street, headed into the museum. We made it to the "show" in time. The lecturer was dry, even if one did speak French, the man was just plain dry. Oh well. BUT we did get to see some of the automates wound up. I loved the woman playing with little mallets. We didn't get to see the tall clock in action. It had an organ and a zither in it. That would have been something to see. The museum is full of industrial things, including BIG machinery and wooden models of things, like windmills and devices for bringing water from the river to Versailles. There is a display of early computers, even the Apple 2c is there. Darn, why didn't we save our 2e, or whatever it was Noah first owned. There were early TVs, radios, camera, movie cameras, phonographs, sewing machines, and on and on. It was really worth the visit. Oh, the orginal Foucault's pendulum is there, too, in a case, while a replica swings nearby. There is a small Statue of Liberty, as well. Part of the building is an old chapel and they've displayed old cars in it, among other things. The way items were displayed was quite wonderful. Many of the cases were very old. Well, yes, the collection was started in the 18th century. The metro station was also very cool. It had a Jules Verne submarine look. For all the times we've been here, there are still things and places to explore.