Gallo-Roman ruins including the baths, built in 200 AD, are visible reminders here at the Musee de Cluny, of what lies buried beneath Paris, its Roman heritage.

There are vestiges of life in Roman times, all over the city, but the vaulted cold bath room here, the frigidarium, is said to be the largest of its kind in France. There is a tepidarium here as well (warm baths).

The museum itself, a mansion built by the Abbot of Cluny in 1500, boasts one of the world’s finest collections of Medieval art.

Treasures abound.

The Lady With The Unicorn Tapestries woven in the 1400s, are captivating.

There are everyday objects such as kitchen utensils and toys.

Stained glass from Sainte-Chappelle, dating back to the 13th century is dazzling.

Here you can kindle a love of illuminated manuscripts, as the Cluny's collection is masterful.

Don’t be alarmed if the ghost of Mary Tudor glides softly down a corridor. She was forced to reside here after the death of her husband, Louis XII, by his successor, King Francis I, in 1515.

Francis wanted to keep a close eye on her, especially since it was rumored that she might be pregnant.

Specialty museums abound in Paris. Here, at the Cluny, ancient Romans and Medieval history are bound together in the most unique of environments, definitely worthy of a visit.

MUSEE DE CLUNY
6 Pl. Paul-Painleve
5th Arrondisement
Metro: Cluny, St-Michel, Odeon
Hours: 9:15am-9:45pm Wed-Mon
Closed Tuesday
Paris Museum Pass accepted
www.musee-moyenage.fr