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The favorite museums of Clément Delépine, director of Art Basel Paris, in the City of Light…

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This article is part of the FT Globetrotter feature. Paris Guide

Golden Gate Palace

293 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris

One of my childhood memories is visiting the Palais de la Porte Dorée with my father, more specifically its aquarium, where I marvelled at the crocodiles and a kaleidoscopic array of fish. Built for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition and located in the 12th arrondissement near the Bois de Vincennes, it used to be France’s colonial museum, which explains its exotic architecture and décor. It now houses the Musée National de l’Histoire de l’Immigration (National Museum of the History of Immigration), which celebrates the contribution of immigration to France and its importance to this country. If you’re feeling peckish after your visit, head to the Foire du Trône, a nearby amusement park, for some fries and, if you fancy, a rollercoaster ride. Website; Instructions


Museum of Counterfeiting

16 Rue de la Faisanderie, 75116 Paris
Fake sculptures and paintings under a chandelier in a room at the Museum of Forgery
Fake news: some of the fakes in the collection of the Museum of Counterfeiting…
The historic grey stone façade of the Museum of Counterfeiting
…which moved to its current premises in the 16th arrondissement in the 1950s

This curious museum was founded at the beginning of the 20th century by the Union des Fabricants, an association of manufacturers who were tired of seeing their products counterfeited. Located in the chic 16th arrondissement, it is a cabinet of curiosities dedicated to fakes and counterfeits of all kinds: fake Cartier socks, fake cosmetics and condoms, fake car parts… It is a unique place where one can witness not only the inventiveness of the human spirit, but also how desirable big brands are. As it is on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, take a stroll through this beautiful park and enjoy lunch at The Pré Catelana legendary sanctuary of French gastronomy with three Michelin stars. Website; Instructions


Le Silo — Billarant Collection

3 Route de Bréançon, 95640 Marines

I first heard of collectors Françoise and Jean-Philippe Billarant when we collaborated on an exhibition of works by the artist Niele Toroni at the Swiss Institute in New York. He is a friend of the Billarants and told me about Le Silo. When I moved to Paris, I wanted to go and see this unusual place, a former grain silo converted into an exhibition space for minimalist and conceptual art, and I met this charming and passionate pair of artists. It was there that I understood what a collection based on friendship was all about. The Billarants know almost all the artists they collect personally: Richard Serra, Véronique Joumard and the late Fred Sandback. You have to make an appointment to visit, but the collectors themselves will welcome you. To get there by public transport, you will have to take a train from Gare Saint-Lazare; buy a sandwich at one of France’s most iconic bakery chains, Golden BriocheIt’s like Pret A Manger, but a little less ambitious. Website; Instructions


Bourdelle Museum

18 Rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015 Paris
Pieces including a life-size satyr and a Christ on the cross by the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle in the museum dedicated to his work
Pieces by the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle in his former studio, now converted into a museum dedicated to his work © Pierre Antoine

Without a doubt, one of my favourite museums. Managed by the city of Paris, it is dedicated to the work of the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) and is housed in his former studio. Bourdelle’s work was both epic and heroic: he created sculptures of horses, heroes, centaurs, knights, goddesses… Visiting this place is quite an experience; it is like a moment frozen in time. For lunch, I recommend Le Duc, one of the oldest fish restaurants in Paris. It is said that salmon tartare was invented there. Former guests include Marianne Faithfull, Alain Delon, Mick Jagger; in fact, they all went to Le Duc together. A place of legends! Website; Instructions


The Crédac

La Manufacture des Oeillets, 1 Place Pierre Gosnat, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine
Works from 'Stretch', an exhibition by German artist Alexandra Bircken at Le Crédac, including a row of headless mannequins and a motorcycle split in two
Stretch installations, exhibition by German artist Alexandra Bircken at Le Crédac © André Morin/Le Crédac. Courtesy of BQ, Berlin and Herald Street, London

Le Crédac is a small, avant-garde exhibition space located in Ivry-sur-Seine, just outside Paris. Its unique programming reflects the vision of its director, Claire Le Restif; exhibitions by sculptor Alexandra Bircken and photographer Jochen Lempert have been presented here. Le Crédac is deeply committed to supporting young artists and is aware of the role it plays at a local level, making a real effort to involve the population of Ivry. A true centre of artistic freedom and experimentation, it is also an institution that contributes to dismantling the clichés that still exist about the city of Paris. peripheriesincreasingly populated with interesting cultural proposals (it is closed during the summer and will reopen at the end of September). Website; Instructions


The Cyclops

Le Bois des Pauvres, 91490 Milly-la-Forêt
Jean Tinguely's 'The Cyclops': a monumental sculpture covered in mirrored tiles depicting a one-eyed face with a giant tongue protruding from it.
Jean Tinguely created the monumental ‘Le Cyclop’ in collaboration with other artists, including his wife Niki de Saint Phalle.

More than a museum, this is a destination. Le Cyclop is a monumental sculpture by Jean Tinguely that he created in collaboration with other artists, including his wife Niki de Saint Phalle and Daniel Spoerri, between 1969 and 1994. (Tinguely died in 1991 and de Saint Phalle completed the work.) Covered in mirrored tiles, it depicts a face with a single eye protruding from a huge tongue that doubles as a slide. “Le Cyclop” can be found in the woods of Milly-la-Forêt, about an hour’s drive from central Paris; the setting certainly contributes to its charm. Website; Instructions


Musée des Moulages del Hôpital Saint-Louis (Medical Wax Museum of St Louis Hospital)

1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris
Rows of wax models of facial skin diseases at the Musée des Moulages
Wax models of facial skin diseases at the Musée des Moulages © AFP via Getty Images

This museum, located on the grounds of a hospital, used to be accessible only to students. I discovered it because I studied the history of medicine before entering the art world. It houses one of the largest collections of casts of skin-related pathologies in the world: nearly 5,000. Most of them were created by Jules Baretta, an artist who had initially developed a method for molding fruit, which had the advantage of accurately depicting irregular surfaces – a perfect match for dermatology. I feel like I took the same path as Baretta, but in the opposite direction: I was an aspiring historian of medicine who ended up in the art world, and he was a failed artist who ended up in medicine. If you still feel like eating after your visit, I suggest you visit this museum. The Cadoret in Pradier Street — a charming neo-bistro offering delicious and affordable options. Website; Instructions

Clément Delépine is the director of Art Basel Pariswhich will be held at the Grand Palais from 18 to 20 October.

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