Musée des Arts et Métiers: old cool stuff.

I keep thinking I've seen all the museums here. It seems like all I've been doing all winter is hit the halls and galleries of Paris. I joke, but it is true: it's always good museums weather in Paris.

This time, a place I've passed dozens of times on my way to Frenchie, but never bothered to take a second look: Musée des Arts et Métiers.

I really didn't even know what it was all about. Turns out, they have quite an impressive collection of Industrial advancements and technology. Ancient astronomy and navigation tools, lots of early machinery and engines. Really interesting stuff, even if you aren't into watch parts and pistons. It was well curated and presented. Totally worth an gander on a rainy afternoon.

This is one of the three of the original casts of Lady Liberty, which sits right out front of a really interesting gothic church- what used to be St-Martin-des-Champs.

A lot of these tools of science were really well-made parlor games for the rich. Come on over, drink some bubbly and watch me do a science!

And, of course, some of the objects were much more practical.

They had rooms full of looms!

A gigantic circular knitting machine, with the work full of moth noms:

An early flying-machine:

Most impressive was the interior of St-Martin-des-Champs.

It was old- consecrated in 1135- and considered the first gothic style church in Paris. It's primary architect was Montreuil- the same man who built the exquisite St Chapel, St Denis, and the chapel at St Vinncennes.

It's beautifully restored and filled with simple stained glass, and the perfect place to hang up your antique airplane collection.

It's also the perfect place to hang a Foucault Pendulum.

The original was once here, but an unfortunate snapping of the string destroyed it (and a bit of the church floor). This is a replica of the original. You can stand there and watch as the earth turns beneath your feet.

It's fantastic, right? A really nice repurposing of an ancient building.

Back outside, a confusing bit of blue sky, lovely afternoon low sun, pouring rain and the occasional clap of thunder.