Musée de Poche: a small art gallery and bookshop with creative workshops for children

Museums dedicated to children are a rarity in the capital, but in the heart of Paris’s 11th arrondissement, a lively little space, part bookshop, part art gallery, takes the little ones on a journey of color and texture. Suitable for all ages up to 12, the Musée de Poche is the perfect place for youngsters to start their artistic awakening, with books for sale, wall exhibitions and weekly workshops.

Part mini-museum, part art gallery, the Musée de Poche displays illustrations by living artists, which change every six weeks, in connection with books available in the bookshop, on themes suited to the very young: little beasts, flowers, daydreaming, the moon, cuddly toys…

During our visit, the exhibition focused on Cherche & Trouv, two amusing little characters who hide among other graphic elements, to be found in the manner of a“Where’s Charlie? It’s a mechanism that appeals to young and old alike, and makes for great family bonding moments.

Here, everything is at children’s level, and for once, you can actually touch the works! An opportunity for youngsters to discover shapes, colors, textures and sounds, while asking their parents questions. In the store area, there are plenty of books, board games and creative activities to continue this exploration at home. Admission to the gallery-bookshop is free, but workshops in the back room are not!

Cultural mediators offer activities combining art history and artistic practice, adapted to different age groups, so that they can progress at their own pace. After a short tour of the site, children, in groups of no more than 10, can learn how to make a book, reproduce elements of the work, enjoy the presence of a storyteller, paint, model, reveal their creativity, work on their imagination… depending on the artist on display at the time.

With the exception of toddlers, who can take part in workshops with their parents, the latter are invited to let the older children discover things for themselves, doing things they can’t do at home, such as drawing on the walls! It’s a great way to open their minds to art from an early age! And since the workshops change every week, you can come back often for more fun, even during the vacations, when special days are planned.

A paradise for the little ones!