Museums of Paris
As the capital of world art, the museums of Paris house many of the most famous artworks in the world and are one of the attractions that draw millions of visitors each year seeking to immerse themselves in the Parisian bohemia and culture.
The French capital is the metropolis of the arts. With collections from around the world, Paris is the world’s top cultural destination, as evidenced by the more than 150 museums located in the city.
Many French museums preserve the most significant treasures of art globally and are among the main monuments of Paris.
The Most Important Museums in Paris
For centuries, Paris has served as an inspiration, school, and residence for great geniuses of universal art such as Picasso, Rodin, and Monet, among many others.
Considering that the French capital has some of the most important museums in the world, it is common to wonder which museums in Paris are worth visiting. To get to know the essentials, even if you only visit Paris for 3 days, we recommend 5 essential museums to understand the artistic legacy of this city.
Musée d’Orsay
The Musée d’Orsay, considered one of the main museums in France, is located in the building that formerly housed the first electrified railway station in the world: the Gare d’Orsay.
Currently, behind the walls of this place is one of the most extraordinary collections of Western art: Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait, Gustave Courbet’s The Origin of the World, Édouard Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass, and Renoir’s Bal du Moulin de la Galette are just a few of the works by the most famous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists you might encounter as you wander through its halls.
One fact we love to share with travelers is that this museum in Paris has two privileged views of the city. The first is behind the huge clock on the second floor, from where you can see the Seine; and the second can be found on the terrace.
If you want to discover Paris at a magical hour, we suggest this evening tour to explore the exterior of this and other Parisian monuments with the splendor and romanticism of nighttime illumination.
The Musée d’Orsay is one of the stops on the Free Must-See Paris Tour, which also covers Île de la Cité, Pont Neuf, the Seine riverbank, Notre Dame, and Place Vendôme, among other emblematic places in Paris.
Centre Pompidou
The iconic structure of the Centre Pompidou stands out visually for its machinist aesthetic, offering a wild contrast to the Parisian urban context. This important Parisian art museum houses one of the most impressive collections of world art, with over 100,000 works by the most renowned artists in history.
Named after former President Georges Pompidou, its collection is the second largest of modern art in the world, after that of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Visiting the Centre Pompidou is a must-do in Paris.
While the two most visited exhibitions in its history feature the same protagonist: Salvador Dalí, you can also closely examine the art of Marc Chagall, Marcel Duchamp, Piet Mondrian, Mark Rothko, and many others.
Picasso Museum in Paris
When planning your list of museums to visit in Paris, be sure to include the Picasso Museum. This place is notable for having the largest collection of public works by Pablo Picasso in the world: around 5,000 pieces.
It is located in the magnificent Hôtel Salé, in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Paris: Le Marais. Visiting this space, considered one of the best museums in France, is to understand the artistic creative process of the leading exponent of the Cubist movement.
Rodin Museum
The Rodin Museum in Paris houses no less than about 6,000 sculptures, 8,000 photographs and drawings, and 7,000 objects from the French sculptor. This important museum in Paris served as the residence of Rodin himself until the year of his death.
With an average of 70,000 annual visitors, the Rodin Museum is one of the most significant cultural attractions in Paris.
Most of them arrive at its gardens in search of “The Thinker,” the most famous sculpture of the artist: “a naked man, sitting on a rock, his feet drawn beneath him, his fist against his chin, dreaming. The fertile thought slowly elaborates within his brain. He is no longer a dreamer; he is a creator,” as Rodin himself would write about this work.
Have you stopped to think about what he is creating?
Louvre Museum
If your intention is to visit the Louvre, one of the most famous museums in the world, you would need at least a whole month to see it thoroughly. Exploring this iconic place is an experience that every traveler in the world should have at least once in their life, and the other 15,000 tourists you are sure to encounter will confirm that.
What can’t you miss at the Louvre? Truly nothing, but we primarily recommend looking for its “three great ladies”: Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
One last recommendation: at night, the Louvre Museum is illuminated, and the views from the Seine are cinematic. You can enjoy them with this night tour of Paris and a stroll along the Seine.
Free Museums in Paris
Some monuments and museums in Paris are often free on the first Sunday of the month, so keep this in mind when planning your visit to this destination; as long as you go from November 1st to March 31st.
Not only is it one of the most important cities in Europe, Paris is a global center of culture, gastronomy, fashion, and, of course, art. Discover it with the best tours in Paris.