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What to do and see in Paris, Ile-de-France: The Best Museums
Lingering over pain au chocolat in a sidewalk café, relaxing after a day of strolling along the Seine and marveling at icons like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe… the perfect Paris experience combines leisure and liveliness with enough time to savor both an exquisite meal and exhibits at the Louvre. Awaken your spirit at Notre Dame, bargain hunt at the Marché aux Puces de Montreuil or for goodies at the Marché Biologique Raspail, then cap it all off with a risqué show at the Moulin Rouge.
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1. Musee Rodin
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12,460 reviews
Located in this 18th-century hotel (Hotel Biron), Musee Rodin holds an impressive collection of works by this famous French sculptor and his circle as Camille Claudel. The museum also features an exquisit garden and a temporary exhibition hall.
Reviewed By ParthaSarathiS1 - Kolkata (Calcutta), India
House of Auguste Rodin,a French sculptor,18th century hotel Biron,converted into a museum after his death.All of his own sculptural works along with the works of his student / mistress Camille Claudel are beautifully restored here.Paintings of Van Gogh,Monet, Renoir & other personal collection of Rodin are also displayed.Some of the famous sculptures like The Thinker,The Gates of Hell,The Kiss are featured. A part of his well known works are beautifully presented within the garden encircling the main building.A cafe beside the garden serves drinks & foods Art gifts,sculpture reproductions,accessories are available in the ground floor shop.It is open from 10am to 6.30pm except mondays & special days.A must of art lovers.
2. Musee d'Orsay
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 65,765 reviews
This beautiful museum, once a railroad station, now houses a staggering collection of Impressionist art, as well as other items created between 1848 and 1914. In 2011, the museum is running a renovation of the top floor (impressionist gallery). Only ground and medium floor are accessible. The top floor will re-open on the 20th of October. Meanwhile, some impressionist masterpieces are not visible.
Reviewed By 576elizabethc576 - Montpelier Station, United States
Excellent museum, incredible use of old train station space, loads and loads of lovely and important French art, easy to walk, large open spaces, good cafes, perfect light. We walked right in in June, no waiting, arrived at opening. Highly recommend.
3. Musee Marmottan Monet
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,953 reviews
Located in a 19th-century mansion, this museum's fabulous collection of Impressionist paintings ranks second only behind the Musée d'Orsay.
Reviewed By JanA764
Beautiful museum a little way out of the city near the Bois de Boulogne, well worth the short trip, the Monets and the Morisot paintings are just a few of the lovely exhibits
4. Musee National des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 958 reviews
This unique museum displays the personal collection of 19th-century East Asian art compiled by Émile Guimet.
Reviewed By paxa - Washington DC, United States
We always visit the Guimet when in Paris for its great collection of Asian Art. This time we were lucky to be just in time for the temporary exhibition "On the Tokaido Road", an extensive collection of 200 beautiful Japanese prints by Hiroshige and many other artists depicting the myriad scenes and spectacular landscapes on this important coastal road from the Edo period. An amazing collection rarely seen all in one place.
5. Louvre Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 99,632 reviews
Home to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the Louvre is considered the world's greatest art museum, with an unparalleled collection of items covering the full spectrum of art through the ages.
Reviewed By 419udays - Pune, India
This was my second visit here The place is mesmerising what with loads of historic information on the audio guide as you traverse through various lounges Painting and Sculptures were our forte then and now also
6. Musee Jacquemart-Andre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,956 reviews
Built by Edouard André and his wife Nélie Jacquemart, both avid art collectors, in the new Paris being laid out by Baron Haussmann towards the end of the 19th century, this private mansion offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore a wealthy 19th century home.The museum presents a wonderful collection of masterpieces: Fragonard, Rembrant, Botticelli… This is the only museum open seven days a week in Paris, from 10am to 6pm.
Reviewed By mihaescuvlad - Timisoara, Romania
This is a very nice museum with a wonderful collection of mainly paintings and sculptures. It is a very good option for Mondays as it is open then. Try to buy tickets online so that you skip the entrance queue.
7. Musee de Montmartre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 853 reviews
In the oldest house on the hill of Montmartre lived fourteen personalities, among whom Renoir, Valadon, Dufy and Poulbot. Take a step back in time to the glory days of this independent and bohemian quarter through original works by Utrillo, Toulouse-Lautrec and Willette at the Montmartre Museum. The gardens and the atmosphere have a rustic feel to them, making this is a very special site in the heart of Paris.
Reviewed By carlg617 - Saint Simons Island, United States
We have been to Montmarte many times but have never been in this Musuem just South of Sacre Couer ! Many great French painters shared this mansion ! A great place to go after lunch at Pink Mamas !
8. Musee de l’Armee des Invalides
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,714 reviews
Located right in the heart of Paris in the prestigious of the Hôtel national des Invalides, the museum is to one of the largest military history and art collections in the world, offering a unique overview of the history France. It is one of the 5 most visited museums in France, with over 1.4 million visitors in 2015. A remarkable site full of history, the Hôtel des Invalides was founded by Louis XIV to house veterans and wounded soldiers. It now forms the unique, prestigious setting the Musée de l’Armée. The museum's collections contain over 500.000 pieces, covering a period from the Middle Ages up to the present day and following a newly designed educational route: the armour and weapons of the Kings of France, swords, cannons, uniforms, paintings, photographs, the personal effects of important figures such as Françis I, Louis and Charles de Gaulle, plus the Dome church, which since 1861 has been home to the monumental tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, its golden dome reaching into the skies of Paris at over 110 metres high.
Reviewed By SuzyRW - Lexington, United States
This was a cool way to explore French history with Napoleon's tomb and the Army Museum, the top floor of which has weapons from all eras (my 10 year old nephew LOVED it!). It's a lot of walking so bring water but the grounds are lovely and you can take your time seeing everything. The cafe is a nice respite too and the food is good. All in all, a great way to spend an afternoon in Paris!
9. Musee Bourdelle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 334 reviews
Reviewed By emduggs12 - New York City, United States
I'll admit that I did not know Bourdelle before going here, but the quality of the museum itself is spectacular. I was there during the Balenciaga exhibition, which was so well done and surprisingly worked alongside the sculptures. The museum has a bunch of different rooms/sections which are all worth seeing. Everything has descriptions and the atelier is pretty cool. The garden is wonderful (bring a book!) and there are two other connected gardens in between the other buildings. I was very impressed with the overall layout and flow of the visit and it did not seem at all redundant. For me, this museum was in a very convenient location- so if you find yourself in the area I highly recommend stopping in for a quick visit. I have not seen (as far as I remember) any of his statues since, but it was still a fun experience. If you like this museum, I recommend the Rodin museum(s) and the Maillol (possibly the Zadkine because it is nearby the Bourdelle but also by far its inferior).
10. Musee Nissim de Camondo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,950 reviews
Reviewed By CharlieV2011 - Chicago, United States
I enjoyed my visit to this mansion. One thing that stood out is the sad history of the family so be sure to read about it here. The artifacts on display were collected by the owner of the house, which was built in the early 20th century. The artifacts are mainly 1800’s, but some are older. Going through the museum, you will see paintings, furniture, a library, 2 interesting bathrooms, a huge interesting kitchen, and beautiful architecture. An audio guide is provided that provides interesting facts on what you are looking at. I enjoyed looking at the artifacts and learning about life during this time period.
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