From Achilles to Zidane, an exhibition about how – and why – heros are made.

There have been many through the ages, mostly men of course (history is such a sexist subject); Sir Lancelot, Napoleon, Joan of Arc, Charles de Gaulle, Jimi Hendrix, Superman… Mythical, historical, actual… this exhibition asks how a hero becomes a hero, and also questions why we need them so much, why we decide to instill them with so many different qualities.

In a media-obsessed world that is more interested in Britney Spears than war in Irak, the exhibition shows that the heroes of each age tell a lot about the society that creates them, that they can be ephemeral or eternal, and that they can be products of an epic poem as much as a video game.

Here’s all the essential information:

Where: BNF, Quai François-Mauriac, Paris 13th arrondissement. Metro: Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand (line 14, RER C) or Quai de la Gare (line 6). Bus n°s, 62, 89, 132, 325
When: 9th October 2007 – 13 April 2008
Opening hours: Closed Mondays. Open 10am – 7pm, except Sundays (opens 1pm)
How much does it cost: Adults 5 euros, concessions 3.5O euros.
Official site: Er, there’s not much on there in English. Basic information – mostly about opening times and access – can be found here.