The museum was founded over 200 years ago, and you can get a feel of how old it is just by looking at the walls, creaky wooden floors and lots of old labeled bottles full of chemicals.
When traveling, I often take the opportunity to chat with those around me, whether it be the passenger next to me on the plane, the taxi driver or someone waiting to get on the Métro with me. Even if the conversations are brief, I find that talking to people makes me feel more connected to where I am and also sometimes gets me good travel suggestions, especially from the locals! In Paris I am still getting used to speaking French, but so far the people I have talked to seem very understanding and helpful.