Paris 2017 - Musee Curie (5 of 9)

Paris -- the City of Light -- illuminates the connection between art and science. There are so many places in Paris where history happened. You can walk there today... and see...

Behind these gates.. there is a marker in the parking lot...

It's just an outline now. There's a line on the ground where a building once stood... where science was transformed... by the vision and commitment of one woman.

Here's the school of physics. Pierre Curie taught classes there...

Marie and Pierre Curie's laboratory --- the humble shed where they discovered Radium -- was on rue Lhomond...

Nearby... a street has been named for the Curies...

Home of the Radium Institue...

and the Musee Curie http://musee.curie.fr/

It's my privilege to visit this museum almost every year. A true gem of Paris. Always great to see the exhibits I love -- and to see the collection growing. 

New this year --

art by contemporary French artist Christian Gumey. 

http://www.streetartbio.com/c215

His portraits of the Curie family, in his signature street art style, add a modern vitality to the austere facade of the Radium Institute. This art work reminds us that the story of the Curie family is relevant and timeless --   something to be enjoyed today, honored for its history, and preserved for our future.

I particularly loved this portrait of Eve Curie ....

Here are some closer views of the works...

Pierre Curie

Marie Curie

Irene Joliot-Curie

The outstanding podcast "Babes of Science" features the under-reported stories of women of science.... http://babesofscience.com/
Here's a link to the episode that highlights Irene Joliot-Curie (full disclosure -- I support the podcast via Patreon, and you'll hear my voice in this episode)
http://www.podcastchart.com/podcasts/babes-of-science/episodes/irene-joliot-curie

Frederic Joliot-Curie

It was a treat to also see and share some additional images. The following portraits are on the grounds of the museum, but not always accessible to the public...

My favorite is this image of Andre-Louis Debierne. A colleague of Marie Curie -- and trusted family friend --- Debierne discovered the element Actinium...

Raymond Latarjet

Claudius Regaud

Antoine Lacassagne

Jean Perrin (left) and Henri Becquerel (right)

More on this "Radium 215" artwork at the Musee Curie here: http://musee.curie.fr/decouvrir/zoom-sur/radium215

Link below to 2015 post on the blog has LOTS of photos of Musee Curie interior..
http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2015/02/france-2015-rodin-museum-musee-curie.html

The Marie Curie garden is behind the museum. The window of her office overlooked this garden. The white doors on the porch were an entrance into her private laboratory. A life-size black and white photo of Marie Curie contemplating her garden puts her image exactly where she once stood..

The garden in winter..

2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Marie Curie (1867-1934). The ashes of Marie and Pierre were interred at the Pantheon in 1995 -- a ceremony attended by their daughter Eve!

This year -- a special exhibition devoted to Marie Curie will be opening in November and should run thorough Feb 2018.

After all these years of visits, the Musee Curie feels like "Ohana" (family) --- So the discovery of a Hawaiian restaurant, close to both the Pantheon and the Musee Curie, only reinforced that feeling!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/ono-pok%C3%A9-paris