Perfume Museum

Musée du Parfum – Fragonard Perfume Museum

Just behind the Opéra Garnier, you’ll find the Fragonard Perfume Museum, a place that explores the history and craft of perfume making. It is run by the Fragonard perfume house and admission is free for everyone.

The museum takes you through the world of scents, showing antique perfume bottles, rare objects, and tools used in perfume production. Visitors can learn how perfumes were made in different centuries, from the days of ancient Egypt to modern French perfumery.

Guided tours are offered free of charge, and they explain the origins of raw materials, the process of distillation, and the secrets of fragrance composition. It’s an unusual but very Parisian museum, since perfume has long been an important part of French culture.

One of the highlights is the collection of beautiful glass bottles and containers, some dating back hundreds of years. Even if you’re not usually interested in perfume, it’s hard not to be impressed by the craftsmanship.

At the end of the visit, there’s a boutique where you can try and buy Fragonard perfumes – but there’s no obligation to purchase. The museum itself is a complete experience on its own.

Official website
Wikipedia