Paris

Things to do in PAris

Paris MUSEUMS

180 museums and monuments for your enjoyment: discover internationally-renowned collections of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts, go in search of iconic emblems, symbols of the influence of an era, take inspiration from a wealth of contemporary heritage – all this makes Paris a capital of the arts, both past and present.

Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Monet, Rodin, Delacroix or Picasso: all these icons of the art world are represented in the museums of Paris. But art is also prehistory, antiquities from the four corners of the world, collections of miniatures and precious objects, or even the future of space exploration… The majority of Parisian museums are open at the weekend and closed on Monday or Tuesday as well as some public holidays. Most of them stay open late one evening each week. Admission to the permanent collections of museums run by the Paris City Council (Ville de Paris) is free and admission to national museums is free on the first Sunday of each month. Certain museums also offer free admission other days of the week.

With the Paris Museum Pass, you gain free entry, without queuing and as many times as you wish, to over 60 museums and monuments in and around Paris. The pass gives you free, direct access to monuments and the museums’ permanent collections and unlimited number of visits. There are 3 options to choose from: 2 days (32 EUR), 4 days (48 EUR) or 6 days (64 EUR).

MUSEE DU LOUVRE

Heir to the century of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, the Louvre was quickly accepted as the "museum among museums;" and since then it has remained a model and a recognized authority. Founded in 1793 as a museum for all, it celebrates humanity's long journey with the remarkable scope of a collection that spans thousands of years, reaches from America to the borders of India and China, and is highlighted by such iconic, universally admired works as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Victory of Samothrace.

MUSÉE D'ORSAY

Among the different collections presented in the Musée d’Orsay, the one devoted to Impressionism is the richest and best-known, and includes works by Auguste Renoir (“Le Bal au Moulin de la Galette”) and Claude Monet (“La Gare Saint-Lazare”). 

MUSÉE DU QUAI-BRANLY

Dedicated to the arts and civilisations of Africa, Oceania, Asia and the Americas, the museum boasts some 300,000 exhibits including sculptures, fabrics, statues and jewellery, sourced for the most part from... the former collections of the Musée de l’Homme and the Musée National des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie. The luxuriant garden is planted with 178 trees including rambler rose, sugar maple, wisteria and magnolia, while more than 15,000 plants of 150 species cover a vertical surface of 800 square metres that constitutes the facade.

CENTRE POMPIDOU

The Pompidou Centre, dedicated to modern and contemporary creation, sits right in the heart of the city. It brings together... the largest collection of modern art in Europe. This Mecca of modern and contemporary culture houses the National Museum of Modern Art/Industrial Design centre, public information library open to all (BPI), exhibition galleries, cinemas, shows and concert halls and a contemporary music research centre (IRCAM). The presentation of contemporary collections displays various types of creation from the 1960s up until today (minimal art, conceptual art, etc). The visit also allows you to discover new works of art by Chinese, African and South-American artists.

PARC DE LA VILLETTE

Located in the Parc de la Villette complex, the Cité presents a comprehensive panorama of science and technology: communication, the environment, health, astronomy, computer science, etc... via exhibitions, shows, models, lectures and interactive games.

Other museums:

Aquarium Tropical de la Porte Dorée

Arc de Triomphe

Musée de l’Armée, Tombeau de Napoléon 1er

Musée national des Arts asiatiques - Guimet

Les Arts Décoratifs

Musée des Arts décoratifs

Musée de la Mode et du Textile

Musée de la Publicité

Musée Nissim de Camondo

Musée des Arts et Métiers

Musée de l’Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

Chapelle expiatoire

La Cinémathéque française - Musée du Cinéma

Conciergerie

Musée national Eugène Delacroix

Musée des Égouts de Paris

Musée Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris

Musée de l’Institut du Monde arabe

Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme

Musée national de la Marine

Musée de la Monnaie

Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine - Musée des Monuments français

Musée Gustave Moreau

Musée national du Moyen Âge - Musée de Cluny

Cité de la Musique - Musée de la Musique

Crypte archéologique du Parvis Notre-Dame

Tours de Notre-Dame

Musée national de l’Orangerie

Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération

Panthéon

Musée national Picasso

Musée des Plans-reliefs

Musée de la Poste

Musée Rodin

Sainte Chapelle

Things to do in PAris

Paris MUSEUMS

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