In Paris, 3 Troves of Art and Curios Even the Parisians Don't Know About
But some of the most intriguing collections may be ones you've never heard of, sequestered in hidden spaces. Here are three museum spaces that even many Parisians have never heard of.
Consultation Room for Prints and Drawings at the Louvre
Tucked away at the far end of the sprawling Louvre is an intimate, little-visited wing: the Graphic Arts Department's Consultation Room, whose entrance, guarded by two stone lions, faces the Carrousel Garden abutting the Tuileries Garden. There you can see works by some of the world's most famous artists up close, out of their frames, for as long as you want.
The Louvre does not advertise how to visit the Consultation Room. The department houses almost a quarter of a million drawings, pastels, miniatures, prints, engraved plates, rare books, autographs, woodcuts, lithographic stones and manuscripts, most of which never see daylight.
It takes perseverance to visit. Through the Louvre's website, you must submit a request in French for an appointment with the name and number of up to 10 portfolios from the museum's online catalog. Then you wait for a written acceptance, typically sent within a few days.
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I used to travel without much planning. Having kids made me change the way we take vacations.
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