Paris is a treasure trove of art, culture, and history. From the iconic Louvre to the awe-inspiring Musée d’Orsay, Paris has some of the world’s finest art collections. I came to Paris not being the biggest museum person, and now I find myself suggesting a new museum as a weekend activity! Paris museums serve as a cultural pillar to the city and give us a peek into the city’s past, present, and future. They embody Paris’s enduring commitment to creativity, innovation, and the preservation of human heritage. So, whether you’re an art aficionado or a curious traveler, let my list of the best Paris museums be your guide to choosing which museums to add to your Parisian itinerary.
Best Paris Museums – Tips
Paris is a surprisingly densely packed city. If you know you will be going to a lot of the main attractions, I’d recommend grabbing a Paris Pass for a few days. You’ll have automatic access to a majority of the best Paris museums and landmarks. If you go to enough of the included activities, you’ll likely spend less on a pass than buying individual tickets for each museum/landmark. You can see what museums are included on the Paris Pass here.
The Paris Pass has a savings guarantee policy, meaning that if your pass costs more than the sum of purchased individual attraction tickets they’ll refund you the difference. You can see more about their policy on their website.
Paris Pass Price: €179 for 2-day pass — includes access to 50+ best Paris museums
Another great thing to know about museums in Paris is that admission is free into most museums every first Sunday of the month. The only museum in Paris that doesn’t do this is the Grand Palais, but you can count on the best Paris museums such as the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay opening their doors to the public free of charge. Each museum goes about this differently. For example, the Musée d’Orsay requires you to book ahead online in order to gain access. The Rodin Museum, however, will allow you to simply walk in. If you’re planning to visit a few museums on the first Sunday of the month make sure to check the policy on each museum’s site to secure your spot.
What To Do in Paris — 5 Best Paris Museums to Add to Your Itinerary
#1 Paris’ most famous museum: Le Louvre
Full Admission Costs: €22
Time Needed: 3-4 hours
What To See: my personal favorite – the hall outside the Mona Lisa includes most of Leonardo DaVinci’s major works. Of course, you have to see the Mona Lisa as well!
The Louvre will always be the #1 museum on any best Paris museums list. Aside from the fact that the Louvre has some of the most famous artworks in history (the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, the Coronation of Napoleon, Liberty Leading the People, the list goes on), the Louvre is also literally enormous, coming in at 652,300 square feet. If you wanted to see each piece for at least 10 seconds, you would need 3 days and two nights non-stop. So yeah… the Louvre is huge.
Visiting Le Louvre
To visit the Louvre, you must go in with a game plan. Block out at least 3-4 hours to properly visit the museum, and pick up a map on your way in, identifying the works you want to see. I also recommend booking your ticket ahead of time so that you don’t have to wait in line. If you want to be efficient with your time in the Louvre, try this 3-hour guided tour so that you don’t get lost and can easily see the works you’re looking for.
The Tuileries Garden, or Jardin de Tuileries, is in front of the Louvre and leads into its entrance. You don’t have to explore the gardens, but it is worth strolling through on your way to the museum.
#2 Musée d’Orsay for impressionist fans
Full Admission Costs: €16
Time Needed: 2-3 hours
What To See: Don’t miss the 5th floor of the museum where all the main impressionist paintings are
The Musée d’Orsay is home to the world’s largest Impressionist collection. Works from famous artists such as Monet, Manet, Dégas, Renoir, and Van Gogh are all on display. There are several incredibly famous works to visit here, and though the museum is smaller than the Louvre, I still recommend doing some research to see which works you want to see before coming. Paris Insider’s Guide does a great job covering which artworks you absolutely cannot miss when visiting the Musée d’Orsay.
The Musée d’Orsay is housed in a stunning Beaux-Arts railway station. Originally constructed as the Gare d’Orsay, it opened its doors to the public in 1900 during the Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair). Designed by architect Victor Laloux in the Beaux-Arts style, the station featured expansive steel and glass roofs and ornate detailing. Its strategic location on the Left Bank of the Seine River facilitated transportation to southwestern France. However, with the advent of electric trains and larger locomotives, the station became obsolete and faced closure. Thankfully, its architectural significance was recognized, leading to its transformation into the Musée d’Orsay in 1986.
Visiting Musée d’Orsay
To visit the Musée d’Orsay, it is recommended to grab a ticket online to avoid the lines. Especially during peak seasons, the line can get quite long. You can buy tickets online on their website.
The typical cost of admission to the museum is €16 for adults. There is also free admission available to a variety of guests. You can check to see if you meet the qualifications for free entry here.
#3 L’Orangerie for more impressionist fans
Full Admission Costs: €12.50
Time Needed: 1-2 hours
What To See: Monet’s Water Lillies
Nestled in the historic Jardin des Tuileries, the Musée de l’Orangerie was actually a former citrus shelter, originally created in 1852. It found new life under the administration des Beaux-arts in 1921.
Commissioned by Georges Clemenceau, Claude Monet was chosen to transform the interior of the orangery with his masterpieces, the Cycle des Nymphéas (Cyle of the Water Lilies in English), a serene series of 250 oil paintings capturing the beauty of his property in Giverny. After eight years of meticulous work, the Musée de l’Orangerie opened in 1927 and featured 8 large murals from this series. Monet designed the rooms where you view the Water Lilies as a space for meditation. White and full of natural light, people are asked to view his works in silence.
There are other pieces on display at the L’Orangerie, but the museum is mainly known for the Water Lilies. Some other artists you can see at the museum are Henri Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Paul Cézanne.
Tickets at the Musée de l’Orangerie cost €12.50. To book tickets, you can book online directly on their website.
#4 Rodin to marvel at ‘The Thinker’
Full Admission Costs: €15
Time Needed: 2-3 hours
What To See: Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’ (Rodin) , ‘The Gates of Hell’ (Rodin), ‘The Age of Maturity’ (Claudel)
The Rodin Museum in Paris is a testament to the genius of one of the most celebrated sculptors in history, Auguste Rodin. Located in the Hôtel Biron, a stunning 18th-century mansion surrounded by lush gardens, the museum houses a vast collection of Rodin’s sculptures, drawings, and personal artifacts, as well as sculptures from his apprentice and mistress, Camille Claudel.
The relationship between Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel was marked by passion, artistic collaboration, and toxicity. They met in 1882 when he was overseeing a studio she was working in, and their love turned ultimately tumultuous when Rodin refused to leave his wife. Claudel’s mental health deteriorated after and Claudel ended up confined to an asylum. ‘The Age of Maturity’ is a sculpture supposedly born out of Claudel’s anger for Rodin. The young woman is seen begging for an older man who is being embraced by an older, almost menacing looking woman.
Supposedly when Rodin saw the sculpture in 1899, he reacted with shock and anger and immediately cut off any support he had for Claudel.
Beyond Rodin’s most famous pieces, the museum also showcases his lesser-known works, providing insight into Rodin’s creative process and artistic evolution. The museum’s gardens are also so beautiful, enough that you can’t believe such a tranquil retreat exists in the heart of bustling Paris. To book your ticket to the Rodin museum, you can visit their website here.
#5 The unique favorite: Foundation Louis Vuitton
Full Admission Costs: €16
Time Needed: 2-3 hours
What To See: visit the Foundation Louis Vuitton website to check out their exhibits
If I’m going to make a ‘best Paris museums’ list, I have to include at least one museum that features modern art. You might be surprised that I haven’t mentioned the Pompidou, and while the Pompidou is definitely Paris’ most famous modern art museum, the underrated winner for this list is Foundation Louis Vuitton.
Foundation Louis Vuitton is a unique favorite here, but I mention it because it tends to have some amazing exhibits. Every year, the foundation organizes two exhibitions: one of contemporary art and one of modern art. I came here for the first time when some friends wanted to see the Rothko exhibit. I’m not the biggest modern art fan, but this intro to modern art may have changed my mind. The exhibit was extensive and thorough, and did a great job of telling the story of Rothko’s life as an artist through his works. The best museums, especially the best Paris museums, should be educational in nature. If I know virtually nothing about what I’m visiting, I should be able to leave telling some sort of story about the collection I’ve seen. With the LV Foundation, I entered my visit knowing virtually nothing about Rothko and his life, and I left not only having learned more about him, but with a better understanding of his art and how he intended people to view it.
If you want to buy tickets to the Louis Vuitton Foundation, you can buy tickets directly on their website.
Fashion enthusiasts beware — the Louis Vuitton Foundation is not a museum that focuses on the history of Louis Vuitton, like you might experience at the Galerie Dior, which I talk about in my 10 Things To Do in Paris in December post.
