Economics is the study of how societies allocate scarce resources. But why let eggheads have all the fun? A museum aiming to bring the discipline to the masses opened in Paris on June 14th. A visit to Citeco offers both seasoned and neophyte dismal scientists a chance to reflect on the field's importance. Plenty of central banks run museums of coins and banknotes. The Banque de France, looking to repurpose a branch closed in 2006, had higher ambitions. It aims to "reconcile the French with economics", as if a lovers' tiff had driven them apart. That it is housed in a neo-gothic mansion, complete with a moat defending what used to be its underground vault, adds to the mystique.
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