La Monnaie de Paris - Mint Museum

La Monnaie de Paris is a great place to visit if you are interested in the history of money, coins, medals, precious metals or the history of France.

You will see beautiful old coins going back to the beginning of time and coins with historical figures since rulers of kingdoms or empires were represented on the coins.

The museum is well thought out. You start with a section on precious metals with exemples of matching coins ; this is followed by old and modern machinery used to make coins and also medals.

The "pièce de resistance" is the impressive medal and coin collection. If you're not a collector yet, you just might become one...

And as with other landmarks in Paris, the architecture of the place is gorgeous (the first picture shows the ceiling of the entrance grand staircase).