When people think of museums in Paris, the Louvre almost always dominates the conversation. Yet limiting yourself to a single institution means overlooking one of the richest museum landscapes in Europe. Scattered across the city are more than 130 museums, many of them housing collections every bit as fascinating as those found in the famous palace beside the Seine.

Some celebrate civilisations. Others preserve craftsmanship, design or scientific discovery. A few are hidden behind unassuming façades that thousands of people walk past every day without realising what lies inside.

In this episode of Coffee Pot Conversations, I continue my exploration of Parisian museums by visiting three that demonstrate just how varied the city’s cultural landscape really is.

The Institut du Monde Arabe offers a striking combination of contemporary architecture and cultural diplomacy, creating a space where visitors can better understand the history and diversity of the Arab world. The Musée du Parfum Fragonard reveals how Grasse became the perfume capital of the world while celebrating one of France’s great family-run perfume houses. Finally, the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris reminds us that modern art is often about asking questions rather than finding immediate answers—something I learned firsthand after confidently misidentifying one of its most memorable works.

Each museum tells a different story, but together they reveal something larger: Paris is not defined solely by its famous attractions. It is a city that rewards curiosity, slow exploration and a willingness to step through doors that many visitors simply walk past.