Gourmet Chocolate Museum

In the ritzy Opera district of Paris, the Gourmet Chocolate Museum (Musée Gourmand du Chocolat) dedicates itself to the history of chocolate, with plenty of tastings along the way.
Set over three floors, the museum is full of exhibitions, with its first level dedicated to chocolate’s Mexican origins. See the original tools the Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs used to mix cocoa with chili to create a delicious drink more valuable to these ancient civilizations than gold.
The second floor showcases chocolate’s passage into Europe during the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadors brought cocoa back from Mexico and turned it into the sweet concoction we know today. During the kitchen demonstrations on the third floor, visitors can watch chocolate tablets being made and taste all kinds of gourmet cocoa treats.
Information boards, demonstrations and videos are all multilingual. There are plenty of activities to keep children entertained, too; completed puzzle sheets earn kids a chocolate gift.

Practical Info

The museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., with the last entry allowed at 5 p.m.To get to the Musée Gourmand du Chocolat on 28 boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle, take the metro to Bonne Nouvelle station. Tickets cost 9 EUR for adults and 6 EUR for youth, while those under the age of 6 are admitted for free. Plan on allocating an hour or two to the museum and its delights.