The Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie is a technology museum at Porte de la Villette in Paris, open to the public since 1986, in a building listed as Remarkable Contemporary Architecture. For families, the centre of gravity is the Cité des enfants, the museum’s children’s section, which has added new trails.
Arriving with small children is straightforward: from the tram platform and the bus stops at Porte de la Villette, a ramp with a gradient under 4% leads directly into the building. Strollers, as well as child and adult wheelchairs, can be borrowed from the cloakroom in the entrance hall on level 0 in exchange for an ID document, and the building has plenty of rest areas for anyone who tires quickly.
One exhibit doesn’t work for everyone: most of the museum is accessible, but the Argonaute submarine is too cramped and is reached by stairs, so wheelchair users will have to skip it.
Family FAQ
How much does Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie cost?
Admission is free for disabled visitors and their companion, for unemployed people and for recipients of French social minimum benefits.
Is there parking at Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie?
Paid car park with entrances on quai de la Charente and boulevard Macdonald; bike parking and a charging point on the forecourt.
