For a hundred thousands years of human history and possibly longer our ancestors have told each other who they are, who they where, and what humanity is through performance and the arts. Whether through simple story telling, poetry, music, or theater such performances have been a means of communicating culture.

The importance of theater and the arts, of culture and beauty is beyond the rote purposes we attempt to assign to them. Yes the arts programs do help students and society think better in many ways. The true importance of theater and the arts however is in beauty, it is in love and joy and the discovery of humanity. In many ways it could and should perhaps be argued that all other things are to support the simple idea of making our lives more beautiful, not just livable, but actually beautiful worth while in some way. Happiness is in many ways the purpose, and rote ideas and thoughts are to support this not the other way around.

Art and the theater are forms of communication; they are ways to focus the human mind and human understanding. It is they which often help to determine our course as a society and the courses of cultures. They are also the way to pass on the understanding our societies and cultures have obtained to each other and to other cultures. What’s more the arts are a way to receive information from these cultures. For people will learn very little social wisdom through memorizing the ideas of culture and society. One must come to feel, to gain an emotional understanding to truly learn the importance of society and cultures.

Theater and the arts help us to feel empathy for others, help us to understand the importance of other people. It can be through the arts that we come to truly understand that we are part of a larger group. By making we see the world through other people’s eyes the performing arts and other fine arts help us to expand our horizons. This new found creativity helps us come to gain new insights into the world around us. Creativity after all is one of the most important pieces in the intelligence, and scientists as great as Einstein have drawn some of their inspiration form the arts.

Paris is one of the most popular cities in all of Europe. With a rich history and a strong culture, tourists from around the world flock to Paris to get a sample of rich Parisian culture. Below are three Parisian art museums that should be included in any trip to Paris:

1. Centre Georges Pompidou- Perhaps one of the most iconic structures in Paris, Centre Georges Pompidou is a very modern building with color- coded mechanical systems made visual purposely by the architects that created the building. This museum houses art from the 18th century to current times with works from Matisse, Chagall, and Picasso.

2. Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris- If you are looking for more modern art work, Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris is your place! This museum has a large collection of 20th century avant- garde art, including pieces by Picasso and Kandinsky. An interesting piece of art work at Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville is Raoul Dufy’s, “La Fee Electrice”, which pays homage to electricity!

3. Musee du Louvre- Musee du Louvre is yet another internationally recognized museum in Paris. This museum has the world’s most plentiful collection of brilliant art and antiques. Formally a royal palace, this museum also happens to be the world’s largest museum. With the arrival of Leonardo da Vinci and his famous portrait, “Mona Lisa”, the transition from royal palace to all- encompassing museum began. Musee du Louvre was officially opened as a museum in the 1600s but was not open to the public until 1793. Whenever tourists visit Musee du Louvre, they especially enjoy Le Jardin des Tuileries. This nearby garden is an extension of the Musee du Louvre, providing a beautiful floral garden with marble statues. This museum has reasonable admission prices, but admission is free on the first Sunday of the month.

Obviously, it is possible to devote an entire trip to discovering Parisian art museums. If your itinerary includes many other destinations like most European travel itineraries do, make sure to stop by at least one of the fabulous museums listed above. The experience will enrich your mind as well as your trip.