Must-see Paris museums for lovers of art, history and adventure

by Hadi Al Khatib

As a center of the world’s culture, art, and politics, Paris attracts visitors from around the globe for the same reason that the city’s hundreds of cultural and historical museums have a steady flow of enthusiastic visitors. France’s capital has made significant cultural contributions to society throughout history, and the city and its residents have never stopped progressing and evolving in their way of life. Paris is still known for its modern influence on art, culture and entertainment. The echoes of the city’s past and the energy of the present naturally inspire Paris’s visitors to learn as much as they can while in the city.

The numerous art museums and galleries of Paris have the benefit of being situated in the same geographical location where much of history’s world-famous art was created, which not only allows museum goers to appreciate the work but also provides a meaningful context for many of these pieces, such as the time period, the artist and the development of different creative styles and disciplines. Paris also lends itself particularly to museums focused on history due to the enduring architecture that still stands today and a wealth of historical artifacts and documents that have fortunately been preserved throughout the city’s existence. Today’s Paris is also a thriving, vibrant cultural center that is innovating the very museum experience, and some museums and exhibitions are worth a visit purely because they spark joy and provide a unique experience.

Whether you are interested a particular aspect of Paris’s rich cultural heritage or you just want to experience as much of the city as you can, this article will provide you with some recommendations for some of the best museums to see so that you can make the most of your time in the city. We have shared details on each museum, its unique collection and offering, and practical information for visiting and traveling to them using Paris city transportation.

Tips for museum goers in Paris

A couple of general tips to keep in mind to ensure your museum visits go smoothly:

  • Research beforehand: visit museum and tourism websites and check exhibitions that may be available in Paris for a limited time, as there may be one occurring during your visit that you would make a special point to see. Through your own research, tourism guides or even recommendations from locals, you also may find smaller museums that specialize in a unique area or just offer a fun experience, and these underrated gems can sometimes be the most memorable.
  • Make a note of opening hours: as you will see below, many of Paris’s museums close for certain weekdays, so you will want to ensure that your itinerary doesn’t conflict with its schedule. On the other hand, some museums have extended opening hours on some weekday evenings that can make them more accessible to people with busy schedules. Keep national holidays in mind when you are planning a visit to Paris as well, because many public museums will close on these days.
  • Book ahead: when possible, it is always smart to purchase a ticket or book a reservation to a museum online before you go. Even in cases when admission is free, sometimes you can book a certain time block so that when you show up, you can have priority admission. This is usually the only way to guarantee your entry, and it will also save you time waiting in lines.
  • Prioritize: do not feel obligated to see museums that do not cater to your interests just because they are well-known. Some museums are so popular that they are referred to as must-see, but you can and should prioritize spending money and time on museums that you know you will enjoy about the topics you are must curious about. If you want to get a general overview of a certain topic, you also might consider a guided tour that can take you through a few museums in one trip.
  • Check for free or discounted admission: some have certain times when they allow free entry, some discount or waive fees in special cases, and some always offer free admission for permanent exhibits. We will mention which of the museums below regularly offer free entry, but students, seniors or members of other groups that often enjoy discounts should definitely check museum websites for any special offers.

Gain perspective at some of the best art museums in Paris

In most minds, the mere mention of Paris evokes the thought of the city’s fine art tradition, from commissioned artists who beautified royal palaces in medieval times to the modern art world, of which Paris is a major epicenter. Throughout history, Paris has not only been the birthplace of some of the most important art movements in history, such as Impressionism, Cubism, Symbolism and abstract art to name a few, but many of the world’s most influential artists have also lived and worked there, including Henri Matisse, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael.

The city continues to be a lighthouse for artists from around the world who come to hone their artistic skills at its famous art schools and gain inspiration from the city’s atmosphere, show their artwork and see the works of history’s greats up close in world-famous galleries and museums. There is no shortage of collections of masterpieces to see and if you are a fan of a particular French style or artist, chances are you can come face-to-face with awe-inspiring work at one of the many art museums in Paris.

The Louvre Museum: The Musée du Louvre is a historic landmark in its own right. Operated within the Louvre Palace, which dates back to the 12th century, it served governmental functions and as the home of French monarchs throughout history. Today, it is the most visited art museum in the world with one of the largest collections, and it displays over 35,000 pieces at a time, the Venus de Milo and Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa among them. The museum is closed on Tuesday and operates for regular hours the rest of the week and weekend, with the exception of being open later into the evening on Fridays. Located in the heart of Paris within the 1st Arrondissement, one simply has to take the metro to Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre to find it adjacent to the Tuileries Gardens. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online, and some visitors may be eligible for free admission: a list is available on the Louvre’s website.

Musée d’Orsay: This museum is dedicated to the world’s largest collection of Impressionist and Post-impressionist art. Its location was originally a railway station called Gare d’Orsay, which is admired for its Beaux-Arts architecture. Impressionism emerged in Paris in the 19th century and was popularized by painters such as Claude Monet. Around the 1880s, we also saw Post-Impressionism ushered in by artists like Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh. Here, you can find works on display by Monet, Renoir, Edgar Degas and Vincent van Gogh, among other artists, which will allow you to observe and compare these movements. The museum is closed on Mondays and open late on Thursdays. It is located within Paris’s 7th arrondissement on the bank of the Seine and should be easy to find with nearby train, metro and bus stops all labeled Musée d’Orsay. Tickets are sold online and on-site, and discounts and even free admission are available in special cases, as outlined on the museum’s website.

Musée de l’Orangerie: This museum gets its name from the building: it was originally built as a structure to shelter orange trees from cold weather. Here, you can see Impressionist and Post-impressionist art, most notably its permanent collection of Claude Monet’s Water Lilies murals, along with pieces from Matisse, Picasso and Renoir. This museum is in the neighborhood of the Louvre, also adjacent to the Tuileries Garden and close to the Place de la Concorde. Concorde will be your stop on the metro or bus to this destination. Visit any day except Tuesdays, when the museum is closed. In this case, reserving a ticket for your visit’s time slot ahead of time online can really come in handy, because it gets you priority access within a half hour of your reserved time. Online reservations are also required if visiting on the first Sunday of the month, when admission is free for all visitors.

The Paris Museum of Modern Art : The Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris reflects the continuation of Paris’s artistic tradition even after the creation of history’s well-known classics. It is dedicated to contemporary art styles of the 20th and 21st centuries, like Cubism and Surrealism, housing over 15,000 pieces by artists from all over the world, including Raoul Dufy and Pablo Picasso. You can also see La Danse by Henri Matisse here. Its regular schedule is from Tuesday to Sunday, and it is closed on Mondays. Booking tickets online is recommended to secure your desired time slot, especially for temporary exhibits, and entry is always free to see the museum’s permanent collection. Take the bus or metro to Alma-Marceau or Iéna to reach the museum, located between the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Elysées Avenue.

The past preserved in some of Paris’s best history museums

Beyond serving as the modern-day capital of France, Paris has endured and witnessed the beginnings and entire evolution of today’s society as we know it. As early as ancient times, Paris was a thriving city, inhabited by Celtic tribes that later came under Roman rule. During the Middle Ages, Parisian universities fostered generations of prominent scholars while the religious Crusades had their effect on all of Europe. Paris then played a key role in coming out of the Dark Ages during the Renaissance, as it hosted a resurgence of creative and cultural expression. The French Revolution saw the storming of the Bastille in Paris and established the city as the nation’s capital. The subsequent 19th and 20th centuries further cemented Paris’s cultural influence, bringing about Impressionist art and the beginnings of Paris’s fashion industry. Then, during the World Wars, Paris was occupied by German forces for years at a time until its eventual liberation and subsequent post-war development.

Evidence of this rich history is readily available in Paris and is part of the reason why so many museums have been founded to continue teaching future generations about it. In Paris, museums provide plenty of opportunities to learn about the city’s past, sometimes even while standing on the very site where important historical events occurred. Not only are remnants of key time periods reflected throughout the city’s architecture, such as the Medieval Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral or the Louvre Palace, constructed during the Renaissance, but through dedicated museums, visitors can explore the intricacies of these different time periods in detail.

Musée Carnavalet: This museum, operated out of a restored 16th-century mansion, depicts the history of Paris as a city from as early as the Mesolithic Era through the mid-16th century. Artwork, artifacts and illustrative models paint a portrait of what life in the city may have been like at various points in time. Enjoy free entry to the museum’s permanent exhibitions, as they only charge for their curated temporary exhibitions. Tickets are available online to guarantee entry to either. The museum is closed on Mondays. It is very close to Place des Vosges in Paris’s Archives neighborhood. Take the bus to Payenne or Place des Vosges stations or the metro to Saint-Paul or Chemin Vert.

Musée Cognacq-Jay: This museum displays a collection that began with 18th-century artwork that a married couple, Ernest Cognacq and Marie-Louise Jay, chose to donate to the city of Paris after their death. Other works from that century have been added to it since, as well as artifacts and furniture, and these are displayed in a space decorated in the same style of interiors of that time period, which gives guests the unique experience of being able to appreciate art while also having a view into what life was like in the past. The full permanent collection is accessible free of charge, and the museum closes Mondays. It is very close to the above Musée Carnavalet. Reach the Cognacq-Jay Museum by taking the bus or metro to Saint-Paul or the metro to Chemin Vert.

The Liberation of Paris Museum: The full name of this museum is the Museum of General Leclerc de Hauteclocque and the Liberation of Paris – Jean Moulin Museum, and it aims to commemorate France during World War II, the French Resistance and France’s subsequent liberation by honoring Jean Moulin, who was very influential in France’s resistance during World War II, along with General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque. You will find it in Paris’s 14th arrondissement, very close to the Catacombs Museum. The only day of the week it is closed is Mondays. No reservations are needed and admission is free, making it a great spontaneous museum trip.

Maison de Victor Hugo: This museum gives guests the opportunity to step into the living space of writer Victor Hugo. The apartment he rented in Paris from 1832 to 1848 was purchased by the city and converted into a museum and preserved with the same artwork and interior décor that surrounded the author during his lifetime. The museum also holds a large amount of Victor Hugo’s correspondence and writing, providing even more information about his life and career. The Paris location’s permanent collections can be seen for free. This museum is closed on Mondays and the nearest metro stations are Saint-Paul, Chemin-Vert and Bastille.

Some unconventional museums for a unique, immersive adventure in Paris

This category includes our recommendations for some specialty museums in Paris that are focused on topics other than art and history or whose formats for presenting these topics are unconventional. These appeal to visitors with diverse interests and learning styles and can bring the enjoyment of museums to people that are less likely to seek traditional museums out. These are a great option for anyone who can appreciate a unique, interactive experience. They are sure to provide entertainment and inspiration to many types of travelers, which make them an excellent activity for groups or families.

La Galerie Dior: If you love fashion and history, what could be better than learning about the Dior family’s legacy, the business’s founding and the brand’s long life under various artistic directors following Christian Dior, in the same location in which the House of Dior was founded? The museum and its eye-catching displays of artifacts, fashion looks and illustrative dioramas create an interactive experience. Should you feel inspired to own some Dior of your own, its flagship storefront is right next door. Travel there by metro to Franklin Roosevelt, Alma-Marceau or Champs-Élysées-Clémenceau stations, or by bus to Montaigne – François 1er or Palais de la Découverte. The museum is open every day except for Tuesdays, and making a reservation online is advisable.

The World of Banksy: Over 100 of street artist and political activist Banksy’s most well-known works are gathered and displayed as part of the immersive permanent exhibit offered at Paris’s Banksy museum, near Palais Garnier. In this accessible format, visitors can explore these works of art at their own pace and in one building, rather than having to search for the original installations in the streets. Visitors are urged to purchase tickets online. The museum has opening hours every day of the week. It is located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris and the nearest metro and bus stops are Le Pelletier.

Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie: For scientific-minded travelers and those who simply want to have fun, Europe’s largest science museum can be found in Paris, in the Parc de la Villette within the 19th arrondissement. It features a planetarium, an IMAX theater, a submarine, greenhouse spaces and several other entertaining and educational experiences across various scientific disciplines, for all ages. Tickets for staggered time periods of 30 minutes are available online. The facilities are closed on Mondays. Take the metro line 7 or bus to Porte de la Villette stations.

Atelier des Lumières: For a truly unique experience in Paris, check out l’Atelier des Lumières, which roughly translates to Light Studio. This venue utilizes video projectors, surround sound and lights to provide multimedia interactive exhibitions set to music that allow you to immerse yourself in the artwork. The museum is structured in a way that allows visitors to explore its exhibitions independently, with no time limit. Visitors can find this experience in Paris’s Saint-Ambroise neighborhood in the 11th arrondissement. It is a short walk from metro station Rue Saint-Maur. There are opening hours seven days a week and tickets are available online that allow you to reserve your admission at a certain time.

Discover Paris’s museums for yourself

We hope that this guide has been successful in highlighting the vast array of museum offerings in Paris, and that you soon have the opportunity to come face to face with world-renowned collections of artwork and immortalized history, an experience that will only allow you a deeper understanding of the role Paris plays in global culture and history. Perhaps you have been introduced to some museums that will now make your must-see list and foster your curiosity as a world traveler, because museums serve to inspire just as much as they serve to educate, and Paris truly has a museum experience for every personality.

With the sheer quantity of museums operating in Paris, it is essential to put forethought into which ones you make the time to visit while you’re in Paris. The ability to save yourself time, find deals and otherwise optimize your museum experience will allow you to fit as much inspiration, learning and exploration into your itinerary as possible. Nevertheless, you will likely be tempted to plan your next trip soon so that you have time to discover more of what Paris museums have to offer.