Musée de la Contrefaçon

The Musée de la Contrefaçon is one of the smallest and most unusual museums in Paris, and it stands in a private mansion at 16 rue de la Faisanderie, in the 16th arrondissement, a short walk from the Avenue Foch and the Porte Dauphine. It was founded in 1951 by Unifab, the Union des Fabricants, an association of manufacturers that campaigns against counterfeiting, and it belongs to a tradition that goes back to the nineteenth century, when French industrialists created a body to defend their trademarks and designs. The house is an elegant building of the late nineteenth century, and the entrance is discreet, with a bell to ring, so the museum gives the impression of a private collection.

The idea behind it is simple and effective. Each object is shown beside its counterfeit, and visitors are invited to spot the difference, which is not always easy. The collection of several hundred pieces is arranged in a series of galleries, and it covers a very wide range of goods, from luxury items such as handbags, scarves, perfumes, watches and jewellery to everyday products such as toys, cosmetics, electrical appliances, spare parts for cars and aircraft, medicines and cleaning products. The point is that counterfeiting is not just a matter of fake designer labels. Fake medicines, children's toys that do not meet safety standards and defective car parts can be dangerous, and the museum explains the risks to health and safety as well as to the economy and employment.

The history of the subject is also part of the display. Counterfeiting is as old as trade itself. In antiquity merchants copied the stamps on pottery and wine jars, and in the Middle Ages and later, forgers copied the marks of guilds and the signatures of artists. French law has protected trademarks and patents since the nineteenth century, and the exhibitions trace how the law and the fight against fakes have developed, with documents and seized objects. Sections look at the way counterfeits are made and sold, at the networks that distribute them, and at the role of customs officers, who seize large quantities of fakes every year. The museum takes a firm line against the trade and encourages buyers to think about where their purchases come from.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, usually in the afternoon, and there is an admission fee, so check the current hours and prices on the official website, as opening times can change. A visit takes around an hour. Guided tours are sometimes available, and a small shop sells publications.

The neighbourhood is residential and quiet, with the Bois de Boulogne at one end of the avenue and the Arc de Triomphe at the other. Porte Dauphine and Avenue Foch stations serve it. The museum suits curious adults, families with older children, design and fashion fans and anyone interested in how the economy works.