Paris is famous for its food, landmarks, fashion, and art! Within the City of Lights there are some of the greatest works of art humankind has created. These include the enigmatic Mona Lisa by Leonardo DaVinci, the pensive The Thinker by Auguste Rodin, and the controversial Fountain by Marcel Duchamp. Explore the rich art history the city has to offer with the 15 best art museums in Paris.
15 Best Art Museums in Paris
Musée D’Orsay
What it is: Housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, the Musée D’Orsay boasts the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist artworks in the world. Come for the art, stay for the architecture.
Notable works to see:
- Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe (1863)
- Degas’ La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans (1881)
- Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles (1888), and so many more.
Location: 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007 Paris, France
Insider tip: Book your ticket online and arrive when the museum opens to bypass long ticket and security lines.
Centre Pompidou
What it is: The Centre Pompidou is the largest museum of modern art in Europe, as well as a public library and a research institute.
Notable works to see:
- Duchamp’s Fountain (1917)
- Rothko’s Untitled – Black, Red over Black on Red (1964), The Stravinsky Fountain
- Warhol’s Ten Lizes (1963).
Location: Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France
Insider tip: The Centre Pompidou has an amazing view of Paris facing West. Time your visit around sunset if you want to catch the view.
Louvre
What it is: The Louvre is the world’s largest art museum (that’s right, the world), originally built as a palace for King Phillip II. The museum’s campus is nearly 15 acres, and houses approximately 7,500 paintings.
Notable works to see: Too many to list. Seriously. The museum is divided into eight curatorial departments, each boasting some of the greatest works of each time period and medium. They are divided into:
- Near Eastern Antiquities
- Egyptian Antiquities
- Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities
- Islamic Art
- Sculptures
- Decorative Arts
- Paintings
- Prints and Drawings
Location: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Insider tip: As you would expect from the largest art museum in the world, The Louvre is overwhelming. If you just want to see a few key pieces (e.g. Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo), one morning or afternoon is more than enough time. However, if you want to see everything the Louvre has to offer, I recommend splitting your visit into two days. This is super easy with the Paris Museum Pass, and also if you take advantage of their night openings.
Musée de Cluny
What it is: The Musée de Cluny holds a notable collection of medieval artifacts and artworks. The center of their collection is the La Dame à la licorne tapestry cycle. It is considered one of the greatest European works of the Middle Ages.
Notable works to see: La Dame à la licorne tapestry cycle.
Location: 28 Rue du Sommerard, 75005 Paris, France
L’Atelier des Lumières
What it is: New to the Paris art scene, L’Atelier des Lumières does not house any physical artworks but is a digital art center. It features immersive video and sound exhibits on famous artworks and artists. The main experience changes annually. The opening exhibit Klimt in Vienna showcased over 3,000 pictures of Viennese painting. Currently, they are showing Van Gogh, Starry Night until December 31, 2019.
Location: 38 Rue Saint-Maur 75011 Paris 11
Insider tip: L’Atelier des Lumières sells out quickly (especially on weekends), and the tickets are timed, so book online in advance. Flash photography is usually not allowed in most museums, but using flash in L’Atelier des Lumières is particularly distracting for other people (not to mention washes out the projections in your photos anyway), so make sure your flash is turned off before heading in.
Institut du monde arabe
What it is: The Institut du monde arabe was established by 18 Arab countries with France to “research and disseminate information about the Arab world and its cultural and spiritual values.”
Notable works to see: The museum portion of the Institut du monde Arabe holds a collection of Arab-Muslim Islamic art, ethnography, and Modern and Contemporary art.
Location: 1 Rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard, 75005 Paris, France
Musée Rodin
What it is: The former workshop of sculptor Auguste Rodin was transformed into a museum housing over 30,000 pieces of his art. Most of his sculptures reside in the gardens that surround the workshop turned museum.
Notable works to see:
- The Thinker
- The Gates of Hell
- The Kiss.
Location: 77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris, France
Insider tip: The garden has a lovely cafe that is perfect for a mid day lunch break, especially during the spring!
Musée des Arts Décoratifs
What it is: Located in the Palais du Louvre, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs exhibits works of decorative arts and design. Most notable pieces include furniture, interior design, ceramics, textiles, and objet d’arts spanning the globe and history.
Notable works to see: Their period rooms offer a unique experience of art and design throughout history, and the museum hosts large scale temporary exhibits.
Location: 107 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Palais de Tokyo
What it is: Palais de Tokyo is the largest contemporary art museum in France, featuring rotating temporary exhibits ranging from installation and video art. (majorly instagrammable!)
Location: 13 Avenue du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris, France
Insider tip: There is a fantastic viewpoint of the Eiffel Tower right before you get the museum entrance, if you approaching from the Iéna metro station.
Jeu de Paume
What it is: Formally the tennis courts of Napoleon III, the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume is the center for modern and postmodern photography. Past exhibits have featured work by Dorothea Lange, Gordon Matta-Clark, and Garry Winogrand.
Where is it: 1 Place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, France
Musée de l’Orangerie
What it is: Across the Tuileries Garden from the Jeu de Paume is the former orangery of the Tuileries Palace. It is now a gallery of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings.
Notable works to see: Claude Monet’s large Water Lilies murals.
Location: Jardin Tuileries, 75001 Paris, France
Insider tip: If you want to have a contemplative moment with the Water Lilies murals without hoards of people joining you, arrive right when the museum opens and head straight to the two adjoining galleries which display the pieces.
Musée national Picasso-Paris
What it is: The Musée Picasso holds more than 5,000 works of art from Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, who spent most of his life and career in France. The works of Picasso on display in the museum are complemented by his personal art collection, including works from Degas, Matisse, de Chirico, and Renoir.
Notable works to see: So many – the museum covers Picasso’s entire evolution as an artist through his different periods, with extraordinary and exemplary pieces from each. My personal favorite is his The She Goat (1950) sculpture.
Location: 5 Rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris, France
The Espace Dalí
What it is: More of an exhibit, the Espace Dalí is dedicated to Salvadore Dalí’s lesser known body of work in sculpture and engraving. The gallery offers insight into the surrealist artist’s process and wide breadth of work beyond his famous paintings.
Notable works to see: Several three-dimensional sculptures of motifs seen in his surrealist paintings.
Location: 11 Rue Poulbot, 75018 Paris, France
Maison Européenne de la Photographie
What it is: The Maison Européene de la Photographie holds temporary exhibits of international contemporary photographers. Past exhibits have featured work from Annie Leibovitz, Robert Frank’s “The Americans,” and Andy Warhol.
Location: 5/7 Rue de Fourcy, 75004 Paris, France
Musée Marmottan Monet
What it is: The Musée Marmottan Monet houses the largest collection of works by impressionist Claude Monet, as well as works by other French impressionist artists.
Notable works to see: Make sure to see Monet’s Impression, Sunrise (1872), which’s title inspired the naming of the Impressionist movement.
Location: 2 Rue Louis Boilly, 75016 Paris, France
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