8 Museums In Paris: An Overview
Oct 25, 2023 By Sean William

Do you know that Paris is often known as the “City of Arts” where a wide range of collections comes from all over the world? If you are an art enthusiast or history lover, then you should visit Paris museums once in a lifetime.

It is not only art galleries and museums but also a reflection of past portals, which provide a colourful and diverse history of France. There are many amazing and attractive museums in Paris, each has its own uniqueness and incredible experience. The famous masterpiece of the Mona Lisa is also housed in the Paris Museum Louvre.

So if you are interested in exploring amazing paintings, sculptures and much more about human history, then do not go further than Paris museums.

Want to know which museums you should go to first? Read this article where we have shared some of the best museums in Paris that you should visit once in a lifetime with your loved ones.

Musée Du Louvre

The first museum in Paris, which we have listed at the top, is the Musee du Louvre. It is one of the world's most famous and largest museums ever, with a lot of amazing collections that you will see and be amazed by.

This stunning museum is located on the banks of the seine, where it has a lot of remarkable collections of antiques and artwork from ancient to modern days. Whenever you visit this place, you will see an unexpected crowd to only see the famous paintings of Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.

However the Louvre also has 400,000 artworks, but all art is not hung for display at one time. The best time to visit this museum is on weekdays when you can go at the start or end of the day when you will not face a crowded rush.

Petit Palais

The second museum we mentioned in our list is Petit Palais, considered a smaller sibling of the most renowned grand Palais, but its small structure doesn't help fool you. The museum built by Charles Girault in 1900 and opened in 1902 with an impressive structure.

The triangular shape of the museum and the garden it contains are its most prominent features. Many people visit the museum only to relax in the garden and enjoy the sunshine because entry to the permanent collection is free.

The museum's walls are covered in colourful murals by Symbolist artists Albert Besnard, Cormon, and Roll. On the other side, the ceilings are painted by Ferdinand Humbert and Georges Picard; the high ceilings of the garden entrance are covered in al fresco paintings; and the flooring is covered in marble and stained glass by the Italian artist Facchina.

The total collection of paintings and sculptures includes the City of Paris since 1870. These works range from modern masters like Cézanne and Gauguin to more ancient items like those donated by the Dutuit brothers.

Centre Pompidou

The third museum we discussed is Centre Pompidou, which opened in 1977 and got controversy because of its design, which all has open glass views. Many people still come here to see its grand dame of modern art in Paris after 40 years.

Over a hundred thousand objects from as far back as 1905 to the current day make up this vast collection. There are classic Picassos with cutting-edge video art projects.

The quality of the rotating exhibits is consistently outstanding; for example, Magritte, Walker Evans, David Hockney, and Cy Twombly were all featured in the 40th anniversary show in 2017. The vast salons and lofty ceilings create the illusion of space in an otherwise busy building.

Lines for popular exhibits at the museum sometimes wrap around the block, while the museum itself sees millions of visitors annually. The permanent exhibits tend to be less busy.

Picasso National Museum

Another museum you should visit is the Picasso National Museum, which is Musée National Picasso-Paris. It may be a wonder that this Picasso museum is in Paris, not Spain. It is because the Spanish artists mostly had some special affection for Paris that they dedicated their works to the legendary artist Pablo Picasso, who was from Paris.

The Hôtel Salé, a historic building in the Le Marais, now serves as the Picasso Museum. In addition, an architect, Jean-François Bodin, renovated the private estate in the 17th century to house more than five thousand of Picasso's paintings, ceramics, and sculptures.

It will have been 50 years completed on 8 April 2023 after Picasso's passing. The museum in Paris dedicated an entire show to Picasso entitled "Célébration Picasso, La Collection Trend des Couleurs" by the British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith.

Musee National Eugene Delacroix

The next museum is Musee National Eugene Delacroix, which is also famous as one of the best art museums in Paris; who created Liberty Leading the People, displayed at the Louvre, has his own museum in Paris. The apartment of French Romantic painter Eugene Delacroix, where he lived from 1857 to 1863, is open to the public.

Moreover, there is an amazing studio and a beautiful garden outside the apartment. This museum is not as big as others located on the beautiful Place de Furstenberg, and it houses several important paintings by Delacroix. This museum has an entry ticket, which is €7.

Grand Palais

The Grand Palais is a magnificent Beaux-Arts building that has become synonymous with both Chanel runway shows and art exhibitions. Its impressive architecture and rich history make it a symbol of French grandeur. For years, the nave of the Grand Palais has served as the venue for Chanel's prestigious runway shows while also hosting various art exhibitions.

This iconic space shows the fusion of fashion and art, highlighting France's grandeur and artistic prowess. It is now time for the grand dame of buildings, which was originally constructed for the World's Fair of 1900, to undergo a much-needed renovation. The Grand Palais, a renowned venue for artistic, cultural, fashion, and art events, is currently closed for renovations until 2024. However, in its absence, a temporary structure called the Grand Palais Ephémère has been built on the Champ de Mars.

Musée d'Orsay

The Musée d'Orsay is the most attractive museum in Paris, which people love to visit once. However, it is famous because of its large number of impressive art collections, taking more attention from art enthusiasts. It holds a special place in everyone's heart due to its impressive display of works from passionate artists.

You'll be thrilled to find something you know from pop culture or your art history class around every corner. Every area is worthwhile to explore, and it is truly remarkable to see renowned artists like Manet, Monet, Degas, Cezanne, and Renoir.

Although, we highly recommend you get pre-booking online to reserve your entry; otherwise, you will wait in a row for your turn.

Rodin Museum

Auguste Rodin has more worldwide recognition than any other French sculptor. You've probably seen his most well-known work, The Thinker, which is housed at the Rodin Museum in Paris. The museum is located in a park and two buildings near the Invalides metro station; one is the gift shop and café known as Boutique du Musée Rodin.

However, the main building is a mansion which is known as Hôtel Biron. Louis-Antoine de Gontaut-Biron, a prior owner who was extremely wealthy, is the source of the name. Thus, the Hôtel Biron.

The estate is surrounded by a sizable, immaculate garden that is peppered with numerous sculptures that the artist himself made. Other artists' creations are also on display, such as Camille Claudel, a prize student of Rodin. There are more than 6,000 sculptures in this museum's collection; however, many of them are stored offsite.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shared the 8 museums in Paris, which have a lot of collections from worldwide. Therefore, people love to visit these famous art museums in Paris, and that's why Paris museums are considered top-ranked in the museum lists.

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