Curie is a name that is associated with scientific excellence and female emancipation like no other. Marie Curie is so far the only woman to have received two Nobel Prizes. No man has yet managed to be honoured with the most prestigious prize in two different natural sciences. She discovered the chemical elements radium and polonium and conducted fundamental research in the field of radioactivity. In the Musée Curie in Paris, you can see the two laboratories where she conducted her research.
You can also learn about her ‘family of five Nobel Prizes’: Marie Curie shared her first Nobel Prize with her husband Pierre, and their daughter also received a Nobel Prize together with her husband. So, in total, five medals hung in the Curies’ home. There is a permanent exhibition about radium and the enthusiasm with which people at the beginning of the 20th century bought products such as mineral water and anti-wrinkle cream containing the toxic element. The exhibition also covers the health consequences of radioactivity and the first attempts to use it to cure cancer. Afterwards, visitors can get some fresh air in the garden and take a look at the portraits that street artist C215 painted of the Curies and their team.
The Curie Museum offers guided tours in French and English. There are also regular theatre performances to introduce the audience to Marie Curie’s life and to explain radioactivity.
Museum website: https://musee.curie.fr/
Photo: Photograph of Marie Curie in the laboratory. Credits: Unsplash/Nationaal Archief.
