Interesting Museums in Paris to Check Out Aside from the Louvre
We all know that the Louvre, Musée D’Orsay, and Centre Pompidou is an absolute must see, and each location itself takes at least half a day to explore. If visiting those museums just adds fuel to your desire to be immersed in more art: not to worry. Paris has about 130 museums that are not limited to art. Here are a few lesser known museums you should definitely squeeze in the next time you’re in Paris.
1. Musée de l’Orangerie
Musée D’Orsay may be famous for its impressive collection of Impressionist art, but Musée de L’Orangerie also has a collection that’s manageable - because we all know from our experience in D’Orsay or Louvre that too much art could be overwhelming. The museum has Picasso, matisse, Cezanne, and Renoir; but it is most famous for its two oval rooms that display 360-degree murals of Monet’s Water Lilies. You could sit in the middle and admire the art for hours, and this mural gives you a whole new experience of admiring Water Lilies than the other versions you might have seen before.
Jardin Tuileries, 75001 Paris
2. Musée Rodin
You know that statue with the guy seriously thinking (aptly named...The Thinker)? You could find it here at Musée Rodin for just 2 euros in the museum’s gardens. If you have more time, explore the interior of the museum that’s a chateau where Rodin used to live and work. The chateau is massive and the garden is filled with roses and a large fountain. It’ll make you secretly wish you were a rich Parisian.
77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris
3. Musée Jacquemart-André
If admiring the grand buildings of all these museums weren’t enough to give you house envy, check out this museum and you’ll wish to live here too. Musée Jacquemart-André was a mansion belonging to Edouard André - who comes from a family of bankers - and society painter Nélie Jacquemart. They have an impressive collection of Orient and Italian art, but the best part of this museum is its State and Private Apartments which would give you major interior decor inspiration.
158 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris
3. Musée Congnacq-Jay
This free admissions museum has a wonderful collection fine art and decorative items which would also give you interior decoration envy. Musée Congnacq-Jay is filled with paintings by famous artists, ceramics, jewels, and furniture.
8 Rue Elzevir, 75003 Paris
4. Palais Galliera
Being the fashion capital of the world, it only makes sense that Paris has a museum dedicated to couture! Due to conservation, this museum has no permanent exhibitions but hosts temporary ones. They have ones of costumes of royals (think Marie-Antoinette) and ones worn on set like the iconic dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. They also have leading French designer fashions such as Balmain, Balenciaga, Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent. Not limited to clothes, they also have beautiful undergarments, various accessories, graphic arts, and photography. Note that this museum is currently under renovation and will reopen in 2019.
10 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75016 Paris
5. Musée Zadkine
So you’ve had your morning café and stroll at Jardin du Luxembourg, why not visit Musée Zadkine? Named after Ossip Zadkine, a Russian sculptor and important figure in l’École de Paris, this museum is like a cozy Parisian house nestled in a lush garden. Once you step inside, the house is decorated with many of his unique sculptures.
100bis Rue d'Assas, 75006 Paris
5. Petit Palais
This palace is definitely not petit! Maybe it’s called so because it’s right across the Grand Palais. France always builds the most beautiful buildings and monuments during the World Fair, and they didn’t miss out on the one in 1900, which is what the Petit Palais is built for. If you’re taking a break from all the museums, you could simply enjoy the architecture of this palace. But why not go to the museum too? With names like Rembrandt, Rubens, Fragonard, Delacroix, Courbet, Monet, Sisley, Pissaro, Cézanne, Mondigliani, Rodin, among many others; Petit Palais is worth the visit.
Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris
6. Musée Carnavalet
After sunbathing in Place des Vosages and window shopping at Marais’ cute little vintage shops, visit Musée Carnavalet. This museum is dedicated to the history of Paris, and has everyday objects of the city (like street signs!) and historical curiosities like Robespierre’s shaving dish, the chair in which Voltaire died , Rousseau’s inkwell… Note that this museum is currently undergoing renovation and will be open to the public again in 2019.
16 Rue des Francs Bourgeois, 75003 Paris
7. Musée Bourdelle
This museum would remind you a bit of Atelier Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence, only much, much bigger. Why? This was once an artist studio and it still looks the same way as when it was used by the artist! Musée Bourdelle has about 500 works by sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, but also works by Ingres, Delacroix, and Rodin (who was the mentor of Bourdelle).
18 Rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015 Paris
8. Musée MARMOTTAN MONET
Claude Monet is one of the most important artists in France, and though many museums in France and around the world feature his art, why not go to his namesake museum? This mansion, that was once a hunting pavillion, hosts an extensive collection of Monet’s works. A bonus is that it’s located near Bois de Boulogne - Paris’ west ‘Central Park’ - so it feels like you’re near the countryside and you could have a nice picnic there after the museum visit.
2 Rue Louis Boilly, 75016 Paris
9. Musée DE MONTMARTRE
The Montmartre quarter is known to be where artists hang out (because they can be dirt poor and Montmartre was outside of Paris back in the day), so it’s no surprise that they’d have their own museum. Here, you will find different kinds of arts, including documents, that celebrates the Belle-Époque romance and artistic style of Montmartre.
12 Rue Cortot, 75018 Paris
10. 59 Rivoli
In the middle of Châtelet’s busy commercial streets, lies a Haussmann building covered in neon paint and a comically large pair of eyes looking right at you. What was once an abandoned Crédit Lyonnais building became a magical art collective with four floors of galleries. We’ve written an entire article of this gem. Read about it here.
59 Rivoli, Paris 75004
11. Musée des arts et metiers
This museum is an industrial design museum, so not your typical museum in Paris. It has the original version of Foucault pendulum, the original model of Statue of Liberty, the first mechanical calculator, and models of the first planes.
60 Rue Réaumur, 75003 Paris