12 Best Paris Museums for Every Traveler

Although it’s commonly called the city of lights, Paris could easily be titled “the city of museums,” as it boasts over 130 museums within the city limits.

If you’re visiting Paris for the first time, this list of museums can help guide your itinerary. I’ve also included the top three museums in Paris to visit your first time in this complete guide to Paris.

However, if you’re either living in Paris for a season, visiting for a second, third or fourth time, or staying in the city for an extended period, the below list of best museums in Paris will help you discover all that Paris’ museums has to offer.

Of course, there are more museums in Paris than highlighted in this post, but the below list of best Paris museums are a selected list from our three years living in the city and some of our favorites to return to over and over, or more niche museums in Paris for the more particular travelers in your group.

The Louvre (best overall museum in paris)

The Louvre is a must visit when traveling to Paris and is home to the world’s most famous work of art, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, as well as the iconic glass pyramids. It is the busiest museum in Paris (according to Statista.com, in 2019, the Louvre attracted approximately 9.6 million visitors) as well as the largest.

Do some research before your visit to determine what works of art you would like to see and mentally prepare yourself that if you visit in the high seasons (May-August), it will be quite crowded. Depending on how much you’re interested in seeing and how long you enjoy museums, you could spend all day or just a few hours inside.

The museum has a handful of restaurants and cafes for a break in the middle or a quick espresso (in the same wing as the Mona Lisa is Cafe Mollien which offers outdoor seating with beautiful views over the Louvre courtyard and pyramids below).

• Hours: The museum is open from 9:00AM to 6:00 PM Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Note that the museum is closed on Tuesdays. The last entry is 1 hour before closing and the clearing of rooms begins 30 minutes before closing.

• Public holidays: the Louvre is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. It remains open on all other public holidays unless they fall on a Tuesday, the museum’s day of closure.

• Tickets: a reserved time slot is needed prior to entrance, which you can purchase here and costs 17,00 € (under 18 admission is free with proof of ID). You can also purchase guided tours for an additional fee.

If you would prefer a guided tour of the Louvre, you can book one on Get Your Guide, like this one that has five-stars.

Musée d'Orsay (best for museum for impressionism in paris)

Famous for its collection of impressionist art on the fourth floor (including works by Monet and Van Gogh), this 1900s train station now houses artwork from the middle of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century (1848-1914).

Although still a highly visited museum in Paris, it is much less crowded than the Louvre, with approximately 3.7 million visitors in 2019, roughly a third of those that visited the Louvre. The building itself sits across the river from the Louvre and Tuileries and can be identified by its two clocks facing the Seine.

• Hours: The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am - 6pm. Last access to the museum at 5pm, last access to the exhibitions at 5:15pm, closing of the rooms from 5:30pm. Late opening on Thursday until 9:45pm. Last access to the museum and exhibitions at 9pm, closing of the rooms from 9:30pm The museum is closed every Monday, May 1 and December 25

• Tickets: you can purchase tickets here for 16,00 € (under 18 admission is free with proof of ID).

Musée de l'Orangerie (best compact museum in paris)

A former winter shelter for the orange trees that lined the garden of the Tuileries Palace (built in 1852), the Musée de l'Orangerie is now home to Monet’s famous Les Nymphéas, or Water Lilies, which have been on display in the museum since 1927.

The display is made up of 8 large-scale compositions of water lilies in a natural light setting across two rooms and is a really unique museum experience for anyone who loves Monet or impressionism. The museum is located in the Louvre Tuileries and is an easy add on when in the area, as you don’t need too much time to visit.

• Hours: The museum is open Wednesday to Monday 9:00am - 6pm and a timeslot is still required. Last admission is 5:15 pm, rooms close at 5:45 pm. The museum is closed every Tuesday, on May 1, July 14 morning and December 25

• Tickets: You can purchase tickets here for 12.50 € (26-year-old residents of the EEA or -18-year-old are free).

If you love Monet, be sure to plan a visit to Giverny, France (an easy day trip from Paris) to see Monet’s home and gardens.

Musée Rodin (best museum for creative inspiration in paris)

In the 7eme arrondissement, the Musée Rodin is home to the lifework of sculptor, Auguste Rodin. It is a beautiful display of his work, and a visit to the museum includes wandering through the historic building, admiring the many sculptures and spending the remainder of your time outside in one of the prettiest secluded gardens in Paris.

Find hours and book tickets to Musée Rodin here.

Musée national Picasso-Paris (best ARTIST FOCUSED MUSEUM in paris)

n the 3eme arrondissement, the Musée national Picasso-Paris is home to the lifework of Pablo Picasso. The Picasso Museum in Paris walks you through a journey of Picasso’s art from its beginnings up until the end of his life.

The museum displays 297 paintings from Picasso, on the walls of a historic Parisian “hotel” that will leave you just as impressed with its architecture.

Find hours and book tickets to the Musée national Picasso-Paris here.

Musée de la Vie romantique (best secret hideaway museum in paris)

A small format museum focused on Romanticism, the Musée de la Vie romantique is the perfect quiet getaway museum located in the heart of Paris. The museum is located in the 9eme arrondissement and is a great spot to visit for an intimate day of art.

The highlight of the museum is its cafe set within a green house, making it a cozy and often empty spot in the dead of winter, or a lovely spot to grab coffee with a friend in the nicer weather days.

Find all of the information regarding tickets and hours on the Musée de la Vie romantique website.

Musée National Eugène-Delacroix (Best small format museum in paris)

Hidden in a corner of Place Furstenburg in the 6eme Arrondissement is the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix, a museum dedicated to the work of French painter, Eugène Delacroix, who painted Liberty Leading the People (located in the Louvre) and many other masterpieces. The museum is located in the former apartment and studio of the painter and is a quite small exhibit that you could easily see it in an hour or so.

My favorite part of the museum is the secret garden located between the main portion of the museum and the studio. It is a tiny courtyard full of vines and roses and places to sit. It’s the perfect spot for reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Paris.

Petit Palais (best museum garden in paris)

Located in the 8eme arrondissement, across from the Grand Palais, this stunning piece of architecture was built in the 1900s for the Universal Exhibition. The Petit Palais is now a museum of fine arts, which is free to visit.

Within the courtyard of Petit Palais, Tthere is a small, yet wonderful garden where you can enjoy a petit dejeurner or a glass of wine. This is an especially wonderful spot to visit in early Spring to see the fruit trees blossoming.

You can find hours and information on the Petit Palais website.

The Dior Exhibit (best Paris Museum for fashion lovers)

If you are an appreciator of fashion or of well made things, a visit to La Galerie Dior is perfect to do on a rainy day in Paris. La Galerie Dior is an exhibition dedicated to Christian Dior in the building that housed his works for the past 70 years. The building is now open to the public and offers a unique and beautiful display of Dior’s most famous pieces set against breathtaking displays.

To visit La Galerie Dior, you can book tickets in advance here. At the end of the exhibit is Le Café Dior, where you can grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee if the weather hasn’t improved by the end of your visit.

Musée de l'Armée (best paris museum for history)

History lover or not, if you’re interested in France, Paris, or world history, you’ll want to visit the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. Located in the 7eme arrondissement the Musée de l'Armée is home to thousands of years of military history, with amazing exhibits on both World Wars.

In the setting of Hôtel National des Invalides, the Musée de l'Armée is also where you can find the tomb of Napoleon I.

The Musée de l'Armée is a great museum to visit in Paris if you have a history buff in your traveling crew, or have any children currently learning about world history.

Find all information to plan your visit on the Musée de l'Armée website.

Musée des Arts Décoratifs (best Paris museum for design)

If you’re a design lover, you won’t want to miss a visit to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Located directly next to the Louvre and the Louvre Tuileries, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs houses all things fashion and interior design.

You could spend hours discovering all the floors of the museum, however, I do recommend heading to the top floors to get some amazing views of the Tuileries below with the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

Find hours and ticket information for your visit on the Musée des Arts Décoratifs website.

Bourdelle Museum (best free museum in paris)

Located near Montparnasse train station in the 15eme arrondissement of Paris, the Bourdelle Museum is one of Paris’ free museums that highlights the works and collections of Antoine Bourdelle, a major sculptor of the early 20th century.

A walk through the museum is sure to inspire with its stunning rooms housing the equally enrapturing sculptures of Bourdelle. On the rooftop of the museum space, there is a nice cafe with interior and rooftop seating to enjoy a meal after your cultural time in the museum.

Find tickets and hours on the Bourdelle Museum website.

STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE

Need help planning the rest of your trip to Paris?

We lived as expats in Paris for three years and spent that time soaking up as much of the city as possible. You can find all of our guides to the city in the Paris section of our website, and discover other French destinations in the France section of our website.

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