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With more than 130 museums lining the centuries-old boulevards and tucked away in storied courtyards, the City of Light proves to be a nonstop culture fest that satisfies the senses. It’s just a matter of choosing which era and style of art, history, or fashion you want to delight in — and as a local of Paris for 15 years, I can tell you there are plenty of options. While the venerated Louvre Museum should make it on everyone’s list, as should the Musée d’Orsay with its glorious Impressionists, and let’s not forget the pop art of the Pompidou, these lesser-known treasure troves inspire endless awe. With that in mind, here are some of the best museums in Paris.
Musée du Luxembourg
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The first French museum opened to the public in 1750, the Musée du Luxembourg hosts only two exhibitions a year. Neighboring the Palais du Luxembourg and the lush Luxembourg Gardens, this intimate space, redesigned by architect Shigeru Ban, highlights Paris’s role as the capital of the arts and the relationship between art and power. Snag a seat at Angelina’s terrace for a contemplative post-expo chocolat chaud.
Musée de l’Orangerie
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Enter the monumental chambers of the Musée de l’Orangerie, set within the Tuileries Garden, and prepare for a date with Claude Monet. A gift by the artist to France in 1922, the discovery of Monet’s Water Lilies doesn’t end the art lesson. Cezanne, Matisse, Renoir, Soutine, and Picasso are among the 20th-century cast whose impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces decorate the lower floor.
Musée Rodin
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The only inhabitants of this 18th-century mansion, known as Hotel Biron, were meticulously crafted by Auguste Rodin. Opened in 1919, the Rodin Museum, with its monumental sculpture garden, boasts some of Rodin’s most acclaimed paintings and sculptures. After admiring his larger-than-life bronze sculpture The Thinker (Le Penseur), discover art by Camille Claudel and notable works from Rodin’s private collections.
Musée Picasso Paris
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Pablo Picasso’s soul lives on in an elegant 17th-century mansion in the heart of the Marais neighborhood. The Musée Picasso proudly displays over 5,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures through its masterfully curated exhibitions, each dedicated to the life and work of this pioneer of cubism. The prolific artist’s collection also fills the four floors of galleries, including works by Renoir, Cézanne, Degas, Matisse, and Rousseau.
Musée Jacquemart-André
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What happens when 19th-century collector Edouard André and his artist wife Nélie Jacquemart travel across Europe and the East to collect rare art and furniture? Musée Jacquemart–André is open to present their magnanimous collections. This 19th-century mansion invites into ceremonial rooms and private apartments where works by Flemish and German schools, frescoes, and tapestries decorate the ground floor. The first floor is dedicated to the Italian Renaissance period.
Musée de la vie Romantique (Museum of Romantic Life)
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Welcome to the former home of painter Ary Scheffer, dating back to 1830 and filled with his paintings. Tucked away in a courtyard south of Montmartre, the ground floor of this literary museum is dedicated to Scheffer’s confidant, the writer George Sand. Portraits, furniture, and jewelry from bygone days reveal much about this nom de plume, including her relationship with Frédéric Chopin. Rose Bakery tearoom, with its garden setting, adds to the romance.
Palais de Tokyo
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Born in 2002 and considered Europe’s largest contemporary art center since its transformation in 2012, the Palais de Tokyo defines cutting-edge. Dedicated to all forms of modern and contemporary art, this “anti-museum” is in constant motion, as are its exhibitions. There’s no better place to discover today’s leading artists or pick up an art book. In between expos, stop by one of the museum restaurants, like Café du Palais, Monsieur Bleu, or Bambini.
Fondation Louis Vuitton
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It’s worth a trip to the Bois de Boulogne, where the Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton highlights the horizon. This architectural gem impresses both inside and out, and panoramic views of Paris can be enjoyed from the airy terraces. Every carefully curated contemporary art exhibit honors a legend, with past shows dedicated to Henri Matisse, Mark Rothko, Egon Schiele, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, to name a few. The thought-provoking permanent collection also merits a visit.
Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
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Travel to Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas via the Musée du quai Branly — Jacques Chirac set at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Imagined by architect Jean Nouvel, this ethnographic experience encompasses 3,500 works of art through a series of temporary exhibitions examining lifestyles, beliefs, and traditions around the globe. After enjoying a haven of green within the thriving five-acre garden, stop by Café Jacques or book a table at the gastronomic restaurant Les Ombres for a date with Madame Eiffel.
Bourse de Commerce — Pinault Collection
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What was once an 18th-century wheat market has been masterfully restored and transformed into a museum by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Opened in 2021, the imposing Bourse de Commerce — Pinault Collection presents a continuous exhibition of the over 10,000 artworks François Pinault has amassed throughout his life. The rotating works date from the 1960s to today. Father-and-son chefs Michel and Sébastien Bras helm the top-floor La Halle aux Grains restaurant.
Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (Museum of Hunting and Nature)
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Lions, tigers, and bears in the center of Paris? Yes, but safely stuffed within the private mansions of the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature. This museum, defining the relationship between man and animals through the ages, reveals ancient and contemporary art in all its forms. From paintings to hunting trophies, this haven for art and nature lovers is much more than a wilderness lodge. Keep an eye out for collaborations by emerging artists.
Musée Cognacq-Jay
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The French art of living during the Age of Enlightenment can best be imagined when entering historic townhouse Hôtel Donon tucked into the Marais. Since 1990, the Cognacq-Jay Museum has presented the private art collection of Ernest Cognacq and his wife, Marie-Louise Jay, founders of the Samaritaine department store. Furniture and paintings by Rembrandt, Guardi, Fragonard, Tiepolo, and Canaletto decorate this intimate Parisian residence.
Maison de Victor Hugo
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Overlooking the prestigious Place des Vosges, step into the former residence of Victor Hugo, best known for writing “Les Miserables.” Every decorative space, from the drawing room to the bedroom, reveals paintings, letters, manuscripts, and other personal artifacts from Hugo’s literary life. Family portraits by Louis Boulanger and Auguste de Châtillon and a marble bust by David d’Angers are among the masterpieces to discover before heading down to the museum’s courtyard café.
Bourdelle Museum
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Become enchanted by the work of visionary sculptor Antoine Bourdelle when entering his former Montparnasse studio, which was reborn as the Bourdelle Museum. This former apprentice to Auguste Rodin was also a teacher to Henri Matisse and Alberto Giacometti. Bourdelle’s voluminous works in marble, bronze, and wood fill the lofty mezzanine, while his bronze sculptures Héraklès archer (Hercules the Archer) and Centaure mourant (Dying Centaur) highlight the garden. Restaurant Le Rhodia is named after Bourdelle’s daughter.
Musée Yves Saint Laurent
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Step inside the 19th-century salons where Yves Saint Laurent once styled some of Paris’s grandest dames to discover the life and work of this revered designer. Saint Laurent’s lavish silk gowns, impeccably tailored suits, timeless accessories, and shimmering jewels take the spotlight at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, where collections rotate throughout the year. The fashion icon’s office looks like he just stepped away for a fitting, with swatches of fabrics and souvenirs of his world travels cluttering the space.
La Galerie Dior
The kaleidoscopic spiral staircase displaying mini versions of all things Dior is enough to entice a visit to La Galerie Dior. Opened in spring 2022, Christian Dior’s haute couture universe neighbors the brand’s flagship store. Beginning with the designer’s childhood photographs and early sketches, a journey through each of the 13 rooms brings Dior’s life and legacy into focus, including his most iconic works. The monumental exhibit even includes a room where retired couturiers demonstrate how tailored suits and gowns are crafted.
Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris
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Journey into Paris’s storied past when entering the stately Carnavelet Museum, composed of two 17th-century mansions, one in which the aristocratic letter-writer Madame de Sévigné resided. The exhaustive collection of over 580,000 paintings, photographs, drawings, prints, posters, coins, medals, and furniture includes artifacts from the French Revolution. Mementos like Emile Zola’s watch and Marcel Proust’s personal affairs are also on view. During the warmer months, the museum’s manicured courtyards transform into restaurant Fabula.
Palais Galliera
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There’s no more fashionable address in Paris than Palais Galliera, a stately museum dedicated to French fashion movements from the 18th century to the modern day. An impressive 250,000 items of clothing, accessories, and photographs make up its colossal collection. Think Lanvin, Chanel, and Dior couture and ready-to-wear spanning decades. Thematic annual exhibitions spotlight fashion personalities, trends, habits, and types of apparel.
Musée de Cluny — Musée National du Moyen Âge
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Travel back to the Middle Ages when entering the Musée de Cluny, set on the site of the ancient thermal baths in Paris’s Latin Quarter. Modernized in May 2022, this Gothic-style fortress is home to over 1,600 medieval masterpieces. Along the chronological tour, prized possessions include the tapestries of the Lady of the Unicorn, the heads of the Kings of Judah from Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Saint-Chapelle’s stained-glass windows. The frigidarium, with its 45-foot ceiling, also elicits awe.
Hotel de la Marine
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In direct view of Place de la Concorde, the king’s chief architect, Ange-Jacques Gabriel, designed this noble 18th-century mansion to house the furnishings of the royal palace before it became the Ministry of the Navy’s headquarters. Reborn as a museum in 2021, with its gilded reception rooms outfitted in antiques, paintings, and tapestries, and where richly adorned bedrooms befit a queen, Hotel de la Marine conjures up visions of Versailles.