7 best museums you must visit in Paris
The museums in this city are some of the best you’ll find anywhere in the world. Even if you’re traveling with someone, these seven museums will pique your interest and leave you wanting to see more.
1. Quai branly
The Ethnography museum boasts an impressive collection of art and artifacts from around the world. The building itself is a work of art and contains over 150,000 items from all different continents. It’s worth going to just for the architecture.
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Designed by Jean Nouvel, The quai branly Museum of Ancient Art is full of some of the most beautiful art pieces in history. It houses over 30,000 different works from around Europe and beyond, dating back to ancient Greece! Some people even say it’s better than the Louvre because there are fewer tourists here, so you can appreciate each piece without having to fight your way through crowds.
37 Quai Branly, 75007 Paris, France
2. Louvre
This world-famous museum is on every traveler’s bucket list for a reason. If you’re into seeing priceless historical artifacts, then this place has everything that was ever found under our feet, starting with mummies up until today! It will be hard not to get overwhelmed by how much ground you have to cover. It’s one of the largest and most visited museums in the world. The sheer size of it is enough to keep you busy for days!
Musée du Louvre, Paris.
If that doesn’t sound appealing, consider this: there are over 35,000 paintings on display here- more than any other place in the entire world. A crash course in Western Civilization and Art is a must-do for anyone and everyone. The collection of impressionist art here is world-renowned! It also houses some very important pieces from Monet, Van Gogh, and more. This museum alone could take days to explore fully, so bring your good walking shoes.
Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
3. Centre Pompidou
If you’ve ever wanted to see the inside of a building, this is the place for you. The Centre Pompidou houses modern art, but it’s also famous for its architecture! It was designed by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano in 1971 as an arts center with cultural exhibitions. It’s the only building in Paris that displays modern art on its exterior.
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The country’s first museum was dedicated solely to modern and contemporary art. This museum is a work of art in itself! It was designed by Ieoh Ming Pei and opened in 1981 to house important pieces from all over Europe, Asia, Africa, and America created during the 20th century.
Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France
4. Musée D’Orsay
The Musee D’Orsay is housed in an old train station and contains some of the finest works by famous impressionist artists like Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, and more! Musée d’Orsay has over 200 paintings from these painters, along with others who worked during this period. Be sure to visit after taking a stroll around its beautiful gardens—the national museum of fine and applied arts, housing art pieces since 1793.
© Can Stock Photo / rfx
If you’re into impressionism and post-impressionism, this is the museum for you! It’s also home to one of Monet’s most famous works: “Water Lilies.” This collection doesn’t just contain paintings either. You can find sculptures, etchings, and more here, too, with 20th century works from artists like Matisse and Picasso displayed prominently in its halls.
1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007 Paris, France
5. Musée Yves Saint-Laurent
The musée Yves Saint-Laurent museum is dedicated to the late fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It contains a huge collection of his work, and it’s housed in his former home too! The house itself was designed by architectural firm L’agence d’architecture intérieur et d’urbanisme.
Visitors will enjoy seeing his glamorous living space and all of the original furnishings. Yves Saint Laurent was Hall one of the most famous fashion designers in history, and this museum alone is a reason to visit Paris. Exhibits the couturier’s body of work, including paintings, fashions, and memorabilia. You’ll have to book your ticket in advance as it only allows 300 people inside per day! It’s housed across the street from the couture house of Dior, so you can visit both places on the same day if you want.
5 Av. Marceau, 75116 Paris, France
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6. Petit Palais
The Petit Palais is a museum for fine arts and decorative art built to celebrate the 1900 World’s Fair. It currently holds many important paintings from artists like Monet, Manet, Rodin, and more! The building alone has some gorgeous architectural features that will have you snapping plenty of photos before even seeing any art pieces.
One of 14 museums of the City of Paris that have been incorporated dedicated to fine arts and decorative art. The current collection of pieces housed here was gathered from different galleries around France, so it will be a nice mix of old and new for your viewing pleasure!
5 Av. Marceau, 75116 Paris, France
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7. Musée des Arts décoratifs
The Musee Des Arts Décoratifs is the only museum in Paris dedicated to art and design. It contains both French and international objects of applied arts from ancient times up until today! There are over 60,000 pieces on display here, including furniture, fashion accessories, crafts, and more, which help tell the story of how they’ve changed throughout history.
You can also find temporary exhibits by contemporary artists if that’s what you’re into too. This museum is perfect for anyone interested in decorative styles like Rococo or Art Nouveau and those who want a crash course in world cultures through their artistic expressions.
5 Av. Marceau, 75116 Paris, France
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Conclusion
There are so many amazing museums in Paris, but these need to go on your list if you’re traveling there soon! Be sure to spend at least one day going through each museum for a full experience. If you have time after all those activities, perhaps stop somewhere nice for dinner or check out this post about going clubbing.
Paris is home to some of the world’s most beautiful museums. You can find them in the station, and they contain some of the finest works by famous impressionist artists like Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, and more! This museum has over 200 paintings from these painters and others who worked during this period. Be sure to visit after taking a stroll around its beautiful gardens—the national museum of fine and applied arts housing art pieces since 1793.
If you’re into impressionism and post-impressionism, this is the museum for you! It’s also home to one of Monet’s most famous works: “Water Lilies.” This collection doesn’t just contain paintings either. You can find sculptures, fashion pieces, and more. If you want to learn about the history of fashion in France or see how it’s evolved, this is another great museum for that!
