Sep 10, 2023

The list | The Must-See Art of Paris

Do you want to see the world's most unique and beautiful artworks? Then you need to visit these seven top art museums in Paris. If you plan to go all in on the museums, consider the Paris Museum Pass.

Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum is the most visited and one of the largest art museums in the world. It houses over 35,000 artworks from ancient civilizations to the 19th century. Some of its most iconic pieces include the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, the Venus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace by an unknown artist. The museum is located in the former royal palace of the Louvre, which is a stunning example of French architecture and history.

The museum is open every day except Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., until 9:45 p.m. on Friday.

The nearest metro stations are Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre and Louvre–Rivoli on line 1.

Website: https://www.louvre.fr/en

Centre Pompidou

The Centre Pompidou is a modern art museum and cultural centre that showcases the most innovative and diverse forms of artistic expression from the 20th and 21st centuries. It has a permanent collection of over 100,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, films, and multimedia installations by artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, Duchamp, Warhol, and Koons. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, performances, workshops, and events throughout the year. The building is a striking example of postmodern architecture, with its colourful pipes and tubes on the exterior.

The museum is open every day except Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., until 11 p.m. on Thursday.

The nearest metro station is Rambuteau on line 11.

Website: https://www.centrepompidou.fr/en/

Musée d'Orsay

The Musée d'Orsay museum is dedicated to 19th and early 20th-century art, especially the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements. It has a collection of over 4,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, and photographs by artists such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, Rodin, and Gauguin. The museum is housed in a former railway station built for the 1900 World's Fair. The building is a masterpiece of industrial design and engineering, with its glass roof and iron structure.

The museum is open every day except Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., until 9:45 p.m. on Thursday.

The nearest metro station is Solférino on line 12.

Website: https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en

Musée de l'Orangerie

The Musée de l'Orangerie is a museum that displays the works of Claude Monet and other Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. It is famous for its two oval rooms that contain eight large paintings of water lilies by Monet, which he donated to the French state as a symbol of peace after World War I. The paintings are arranged to create a panoramic effect and invite the viewer to immerse themselves in Monet's vision of nature. The museum also has a collection of paintings by artists such as Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Modigliani. The museum is in the Tuileries Gardens, next to the Place de la Concorde.

It is open every day except Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The nearest metro station is Concorde on lines 1, 8, and 12.

Website: https://www.musee-orangerie.fr/en

Musée Rodin

The Musée Rodin is a museum that showcases the works of Auguste Rodin, one of the most influential sculptors of the modern era. It has a collection of over 6,000 sculptures by Rodin and his students and collaborators, such as Camille Claudel and Antoine Bourdelle. His most famous sculptures include The Thinker, The Kiss, The Gates of Hell, and The Burghers of Calais. The museum also has a collection of Rodin's paintings, drawings, photographs, and personal belongings. The museum is in the Hôtel Biron, an 18th-century mansion that was Rodin's residence and studio from 1908 to 1917. The museum also has a beautiful garden that displays some of Rodin's sculptures in a natural setting.

The museum is open every day except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The nearest metro station is Varenne on line 13.

Website: https://www.musee-rodin.fr/en

Musée Picasso

The Musée Picasso exhibits the works of Pablo Picasso, one of the most prolific and influential artists of the 20th century. It has a collection of over 5,000 works by Picasso, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, ceramics, and photographs. The museum also has a collection of works by other artists that Picasso collected or exchanged with, such as Cézanne, Matisse, Braque, and Miró. The museum is located in the Hôtel Salé, a 17th-century mansion renovated and adapted to house the museum.

The museum is open every day except Monday, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The nearest metro station is Saint-Paul on line 1.

Website: https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/en

Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac

The Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac is a museum that celebrates the arts and cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. It has a collection of over 300,000 objects, including masks, statues, textiles, jewellery, musical instruments, and weapons. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and workshops exploring these civilizations' diversity and richness. The museum is located on the banks of the Seine River, near the Eiffel Tower. It was designed by architect Jean Nouvel and features a striking glass facade and a lush vertical garden.

The museum is open every day except Monday, from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., until 10 p.m. on Thursday.

The nearest metro station is Alma-Marceau on line 9.

Website: https://www.quaibranly.fr/en/

The Paris Museum Pass

Suppose you are planning to visit several museums and monuments in Paris. In that case, consider getting the Paris Museum Pass.

This pass gives you free and unlimited access to over 50 museums and monuments in Paris and the Paris region, such as the Louvre Museum, the Centre Pompidou, the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée de l'Orangerie, the Musée Rodin, the Musée Picasso, the Arc de Triomphe, and many more.

You can choose from three options: a 2-day pass for 55 euros, a 4-day pass for 70 euros, or a 6-day pass for 85 euros.

The pass is valid for consecutive days from the first use and allows you to skip the ticket lines at most sites. However, you must still book time slots for some sites requiring reservations, such as the Louvre Museum and the Palace of Versailles.

You can buy the pass online and receive it by email as an e-ticket or at one of the points of sale, such as airports, museums, monuments, or tourist offices.

The pass also comes with a booklet that contains a list of sites, maps, and practical information1. The Paris Museum Pass is a great way to save money and time while exploring Paris's artistic and cultural wonders.

General travel information for Paris

Paris is France's capital and largest city, with a population of about 2.1 million people in the city and 12 million in the metropolitan area.

Paris is divided into 20 administrative districts called arrondissements, numbered from 1 to 20 in a clockwise spiral from the centre of the city.

Paris has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. The average temperature ranges from 5°C (41°F) in January to 20°C (68°F) in July. The city receives moderate rainfall throughout the year.

Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, attracting over 30 million visitors annually. It is renowned for its monuments, museums, art galleries, cuisine, fashion, and nightlife.

Paris has two international airports: Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Orly Airport (ORY). Both airports are connected to the city centre by public transport or taxi.

Paris has an efficient public transport system that consists of the metro (subway), RER (regional express train), bus, tramway, and night bus. A single ticket can be used for any mode of transport within the city limits. There are also various passes and discounts available for tourists.