Paris is one of the world’s most famous cities for art and culture, and is one of my favorite locations for museum hopping. From Picasso to Monet; archaeology to architecture; Renaissance paintings to modern sculptures – it can all be found in the museums of Paris.
Throughout my trips to Paris, I have visited several of the best museums this brilliant city has to offer. There are more museums to visit other than the Louvre!
If you are interested in art and culture, or looking for something different to do while in Paris- Please read on, for my personal recommendations on the best museums in the City of Lights.
Tips:
- I have always, always, pre-purchased my museum tickets online prior to visiting any museum or tourist attraction, it saves time and money.
- Check on the days and times open, since all museums are not open every day. I have made this mistake repeatedly over the years, so arriving on a closed day is possible!
- I have linked the website of each museum to make it easier to purchase tickets, and schedule your days.
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The Louvre
The Louvre is massive and to be fair, one visit to Paris’s most beloved museum is not enough. I have been three times already, and I am positive that I have not seen everything. This extraordinary palace turned museum contains a countless collection of the world’s most famous and priceless pieces of art; including the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo, Diana of Versailles, and Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss.
The Louvre is one of the most visited museums in the world, and I have written helpful tips on visiting the Louvre in an additional post- Visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris | Discovering France
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Marmottan Monet Museum
Located inside an old hunting lodge for the Duke of Valmy, the Marmottan Monet Museum houses a collection of over 300 Impressionists, and Post-impressionist paintings by Claude Monet.
The museum also contains works by Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Paul Gaugin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and others. It is one of the most impressive collections of Monet paintings that I have seen.
For museum visitor information- Marmottan Monet Museum
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Musée Picasso -Paris
One of my favorite art museums in Paris, the Musée Picasso is dedicated to the work of Spanish Master, Pablo Picasso.
This extraordinary museum is located in the Hôtel Salé in the Marais district of Paris, and includes more than 5,000 works of Picasso- sculptures, drawings, paintings, prints, engravings, and notebooks. Plus tens of thousands of archived piece’s of his personals, including Picasso’s personal papers, correspondence, manuscripts, and his photographic archive.
For museum visitor informaton – Musée Picasso
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Centre Georges Pompidou
The Centre Pompidou is a contemporary art museum, both in architecture and in its collection. The building was designed in a high-tech architecture style, and is the first major example of an “inside-out building”; with its mechanical and structural systems exposed on the building’s exterior
The museum is home to an extensive collection of contemporary, and modern art. I have seen work from modern greats including Jean Michel Basquiat and Frida Kahlo, to an impressive exhibition of pop art sculptures by Jeff Koons.
For visitor information – Centre Pompidou
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Musée d’Orsay
Located on the left bank of the Seine River is the Musée d’Orsay, which is a remarkable museum housing the world’s largest collection of impressionists, and post-impressionist art pieces.
The concept of this museum was to bridge the gap between The Louvre, and the National Museum of Modern Art – Georges Pompidou Centre. I have been to both of these museums, as well as the Musée d’Orsay, and I do see the importance of the bridge that was needed.
It was a genius move on using a historic building, and creating a space for French Artwork between the years of 1848 to 1914, the prime years of French Impressionism, and post-impressionism.
For visitor information – Musée d’Orsay
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Musée de Cluny – National Museum of the Middle Ages
The Musée de Cluny is an exceptional museum of the Middle Ages, which is located in the Latin Quarter of Paris. The museum’s building is partially constructed on the remains of 3rd century thermal baths, from the Roman era of Gaul.
The museum holds a vast collection of Middle Ages objects, including my favorite- the six tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn. There are also around 23,000 artifacts of the Gallo-Roman era up until the 16th century, as well as collections from the Byzantines Empire, and the Islamic World during the Middle Ages.
For visitor information – Musée de Cluny
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Musée de l’Armée
Les Invalides is home to an impressive collection of artifacts, armory, and monuments relating to the military of France. There is also the the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, housing military models, and the Musée d’Histoire Contemporaine, a 20th century French history library.
Bonus- Napoleon’s Tomb is also housed inside Les Invalides, be sure to visit!
For visitor infomation – Musée de l’Armée
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A visit to a museum is a search for beauty, truth and meaning in our lives. Go to museums as often as you can…
– Maira Kalman
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Trixie Navarre 
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