If you ask the average Joe and Jane the name of a “museum city”, they would probably say “Paris”.
Maybe Paris is not the city with most museums in the world; yet, it is probably that with the most famous ones. From the Louvre (still the world’s most popular museum, with over 9 million visitors a year) to the Centre Pompidou, from the Musée d’Orsay to the Palace of Versailles, the French capital can proudly claim to have more world-renowned cultural institutions than any other city on Earth, with the possible exception of New York.
Museums opened, or substantially renovated, in recent times include the Vuitton Foundation, the Pathé Foundation, and the Picasso Museum. Almost all major cultural attractions in Paris are situated within the Boulevard Periphérique ring road which defines the city’s administrative limit, notable exceptions are the Palace of Versailles and Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye which are located in Paris’ metropolitan area but not in its urban area.
Yet, Paris doesn’t have a “museum district”, large and small museums are located throughout the city, therefore it is highly recommended to buy a travel pass, such as the Paris Visite, which at a very reasonable price allows the traveler to use the public transport network without limits.
Cover image: the “Renaissance” facade of the Louvre Museum; photo Jean-Pierre Dalbéra.
Centre Pompidou Paris
Paris - Place Georges Pompidou
closed: Tuesdays, and May 1
Along with being a museum of modern and contemporary art in Paris' Marais district, the Centre Pompidou by Piano & Rogers was the first modern cultural hub, as we call it today
Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris
Paris - Place du Trocadéro, 1
closed: Tuesdays, January 1, May 1, and December 25
The Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris is the world's largest museum exclusively dedicated to architecture and building design
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris
Paris - Avenue Corentin-Cariou, 30
closed: Mondays
The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (City of Science and Industry), in the Parc de la Villette, Paris, is the largest science museum in Europe
Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain – Paris
Paris - Boulevard Raspail, 261
closed: Mondays, December 25 and January 1
The Fondation Cartier is an art center in Paris, designed by Jean Nouvel, focused on the promotion of the most diverse forms of contemporary art and culture
Fondation Dubuffet
Paris - Rue de Sévres, 137
closed: Saturday and Sunday
The Fondation Dubuffet in Paris is a small yet very interesting cultural centre and exhibition space focused on the French artist Jean Dubuffet
Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé | Paris
Paris - 73, avenue des Gobelins
closed: Sunday and Monday
The Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé Foundation in Paris is a cultural center and museum devoted to cinema; the foundation's iconic building was designed by Renzo Piano
Fondation Louis Vuitton – Paris
Paris - 8, Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi - Bois de Boulogne
closed: Tuesdays, and January 1, May 1, May 8 and December 25
The Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris is a private modern and contemporary art center and museum, whose iconic building was designed by architect Frank Gehry
Lafayette Anticipations, Paris
Paris - 9, rue du Plâtre
closed: Tuesdays
Lafayette Anticipations is a multidisciplinary center for the arts in Paris, housed in a historical building renovated after a design by OMA / Rem Koolhaas
MEP – Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris
Paris - Rue de Fourcy, 5/7
closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
The Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, also known as MEP, is the city's leading center exclusively focused on photography
Musée d’Orsay
Paris - rue de Lille, 62
closed: Mondays, May 1 and December 25
The Musée d’Orsay is an art museum in Paris, housed in a former rail station, well-known for its collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist painting
Musée de L’Air et de l’Espace
Le Bourget - Aéroport de Paris - Le Bourget
closed: Monday
The Musée de l'air et de L'espace (Air and Space museum) in Paris is a very interesting museum dedicated to the history of flights and the conquer of Space
Musée de l’Orangerie
Paris - Jardin des Tuileries
closed: Tuesdays, May 1, July 14, and December 25
The Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris is a museum renowned for its impressionist and Post-impressionist paintings, including a large Water Lilies cycle by Monet
Musée de la Musique
Paris - avenue Jean Jaurès, 221
closed: Monday
The Musée de la Musique (Museum of Music) in Paris is a museum, part of the Cité de la Musique, housing a notable collection of musical instruments.
Musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris
Paris - rue Réaumur, 60
closed: Mondays, January 1, May 1, and December 25
The Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris is a museum of science and technology, one of the oldest in the world; housed in a former medieval monastery
Musée du Louvre, Paris
Paris - Musée du Louvre
closed: Tuesdays, May 1, August 15, and December 25
Founded in 1793, the Musée du Louvre in Paris is the world' most visited museum and one of the largest ones, with a collection of over 400,000 works of art
Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Paris
Paris - quai Branly, 37
closed: Mondays, May 1, and December 25
The Musée du Quai Branly is a museum in Paris, designed by Jean Nouvel, presenting the culture of civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas
Musée Picasso Paris – Paris
Paris - 5 rue de Thorigny
closed: Mondays
The Musée Picasso Paris is one of the most important museums in the world dedicated to Pablo Picasso, with over 5,000 artworks by the Spanish artist
National Museum of Natural History – Jardin des Plantes, Paris
Paris - rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 36
closed: Tuesdays, January 1, May 1, and December 25 (gardens open every day)
The Jardin des Plantes in Paris is the most popular site of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, the largest museum of natural history in Franceorld
Palace of Versailles
Versailles - Place d'Armes
closed: the palace is closed on Mondays, the gardens are open daily
The Palace of Versailles near Paris is a monumental architectural complex, mostly built in the 17th century, and the second most visited museum in France
Palais de Tokyo
Paris - Avenue du Président Wilson, 13
closed: Tuesday
The Palais de Tokyo in Paris, located between the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elisées, is a contemporary art gathering, experimenting and promoting center
Palais Galliera Musée de la Mode
Paris - avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 10
closed: Monday
The Palais Galliera is the most important fashion museum in Paris, la capitale de la mode. The museum is housed in the neoclassical palace built in the late 19th century for the Duchess of Galliera.
Pavillon de l’Arsenal, Paris
Paris - boulevard Morland, 21
closed: Mondays, and January 1
The Pavillon de L'Arsenal in Paris is a museum, a cultural center and a temporary exhibition space dedicated to Paris' architecture and urban design
Poissy Galore – Insects Museum and Visitor Center | AWP + HHF
Nominated for the Mies Van Der Rohe Award 2017, the Poissy Galore Insects Museum designed by AWP + HHF combines contemporary architecture and rural culture
M&O Paris, January, 2019 | the “Rising Talent Awards” explores China’s design scene
In the next edition of Maison&Object Paris,(Jan 18/22,2019) the "Rising Talent Awards" look eastwards, exploring China’s fast-developing design scene.
Museum gardens | when the garden is an exhibit
When the garden of a museum is a major exhibit: The Jardin des Plantes of the MNHN in Paris and the japanese gardens of the Adachi Museum of art in Japan
Paris: Archiee’s exhibition system makes tradition and technology meet
The project "Pleat Luster" has been conceived by Paris-based design practice Archiee for an exhibition at the "Maison de la Culture du Japon " in Paris
Le Corbusier – Villa Savoye | part 2, architecture
The architecture of Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye in Poissy, lines and arcs, dimensions, functional program, relationship with the landscape, the house today
Le Corbusier – Villa Savoye | part 1, history
History of Villa Savoy: client's commission to Le Corbusier, initial concept, the five points of new architecture, use of concrete and role of technology
“The Great Animal Orchestra” in Paris
The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain hosts the exhibition "The Great Animal Orchestra" inspired by the work of musician Bernie Krause
Game of mirrors and waterworks: Eliasson’s magics in Versailles
This summer, until October 30, 2016, the Palace of Versailles features a stunning ensemble of site-specific installations commissioned to Olafur Eliasson
Photo contest “Postcards from Paris” – The Winners
Final results and winning entries of Inexhibit's photo competition organized in support of all museums of Paris after the November 13 2015 terrorist attacks
6 Scandinavian designers at “Maison & Objet”
The 2016 edition of Maison & Objet in Paris will include the exhibition “Les Talents à la Carte - Scandinavie” showcasing the work of six Scandinavian designers
Paris | Spectrum – Art talks about climate change
“Spectrum”, the installation conceived by ARCHIEE for the "Nuit Blanche" 2015 in Paris. was inspired by the theme of the COP 21 UN Climate Change Conference
Paris | The wonder 500 Japanese objects
The exhibition designed by ARCHIEE, part of the Paris Design Week 2015, is a spin-off of an event called “The wonder 500” devised to promote design “made in Japan” ...
Art, architecture, design at Centre Pompidou
A History, Art, architecture, design from the 80s until today" is the collection installation at Centre Pompidou Paris for Summer 2014 - Spring 2016 period
Paris | DS+R at the Fondation Cartier
“Musings on a Glass Box” is the exhibition created by Diller Scofidio+Renfro for the "Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain".
Paris | Japanese design at MCJP
The exhibition "Daily life with handicrafts and design" by studio Archiee, dedicated to Japanese design, at the Maison de la Culture du Japon in Paris
Museums in the news – 01
The incredible theft of the Mona Lisa portrait by Leonardo da Vinci from the Louvre in 1911 inspired several spy novels and was retraced in films and dramas
recently-added locations
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