Perfumes, Picasso and the Pompidou - The Best Museums In Paris

With 130 museums in its 65m² (that’s 2 museums every square mile for any fellow math geeks out there 🧮  #represent 💪), locals and visitors alike are spoilt for choice on ways to while away an hour or two between cosy cafes and charming walks.

But with so many to choose from, where do you start? Je ne sais pas 🤷‍♂️

Well you could just dive in, book yourself a ticket to all of the best known spots, and you’ll have a 90% chance of finding at least something to entertain you. I mean, take the Louvre - you don’t get 10m visitors per year by being boring, do you??

Or, you could take a quick glance over our at-a-glance cheat sheet that gives you the skinny on what our customers (and our colleagues) say are the best museums in Paris, and pick a ticket that suits your own sense of style.

So, with an un, deux, trois…

Location: Rue Saint-Martin, 75004, Paris

Rating 4.4 / 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The thing that’s most obvious but also most fascinating about your first view of the Pompidou Center is that all of the practical (to some, ‘ugly’) stuff - the ventilation, air conditioning, exposed pipework, as well as the lifts and the escalators - is on the outside. This gives the centre an unfinished feel to it, but rest assured, it’s definitely open to visitors. 

The unique aesthetic was part of the designers’ 'inside-out' boiler-house approach, and has created one of the best-known sights in Paris. Inside, you’re greeted by a series of striking spaces that house the largest collection of modern art in Europe. Even better than the amount of art that waits to be discovered, is that It’s free to get in!

Location: 5 Rue de Thorigny, 75003, Paris

Rating 4.8 / 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tucked away in one of Paris' most stunning "hôtel particuliers" (grand townhouses), through a quiet and quite unassuming courtyard entrance lies a magical museum that will keep you entertained for hours.

Walk past it, and you wouldn’t even know it. But take a look inside, and you will stumble upon a staggering collection of paintings, sculptures, engravings, and drawings, all from the master, Pablo Picasso. Even the staircases are magnificent.

The artwork speaks for itself, but if you want to take 10 minutes to talk about the sheer creativity on display, then a quick visit to "Café sur le Toit" on the museum's second floor is just what you need before you continue your adventure around le Marais.

A quintessentially Parisian experience that will leave you fizzing with inspiration and artistic wonder long into the night.

Location: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

Rating 4.6 / 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

To clarify, yes, the Louvre IS the most popular museum in the world. And with 10.2 million visitors in 2019 alone, we’re not gonna argue with it. I mean, 200,000 visitors a week is impressive! And so are its collections of pure classics.

But more than a certain smiling lady (bonjour, Mona! 🖼) the Louvre itself is also a work of magnificent art. Much like the Pompidou Center, but in very different ways. 

Visitors will be greeted by the world famous mirrored pyramid and will undoubtedly be wow’d by the many masterpieces waiting inside, but every staircase, gallery and tunneled archway is a masterpiece. Every carved inch of its exterior is a masterpiece and to sit in it’s courtyard is every bit an act of art as to stroll around the galleries inside. 

Pro tip for you: make sure you check out the Louvre’s website before you book to see whether the galleries you want to visit are open on your visit days!

Location: 77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris

Rating 4.4 / 5  ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Featured in famous films like ‘Midnight In Paris’, Musée Rodin's sculpture garden is the perfect spot to find a moment of peace amidst the hustle and bustle of the French capital.

Sheltered in a sea of sweeping greenery, you’ll be able to admire Auguste Rodin's most iconic works as well as enjoy the works of Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir all within the museum walls.

Location: 1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007 Paris

Rating 4.3 / 5  ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The Fragonard Perfume museum might not be on other Parisian lists, but make no mistake - it earns its place on this list and then some!

Situated in an elegant Napoleon III era mansion, visitors will be treated to a unique experience in which stories, scent and architecture mingle into a single, sumptuous expedition through history.

You’ll even be able to put your nose to the test when you try out multiple fragrances to see if you can tell your florals from your fruits and your woods from your spices.

Like we say, this is a different kind of museum experience, but one which is interactive, interesting and well worth a visit.

Location: 1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007 Paris

Rating 4.7 / 5  ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Well known and well loved by locals and visitors alike, Musée d'Orsay is home to the largest collection of impressionist paintings in the world, and with classics like Manet’s ‘Luncheon on the Grass’ and Monet's iconic 'Blue Water Lilies', it’s a matter of quality and quantity at this renovated railway station.

The glass and iron structures make this building just as impressive as many of the artworks that reside within, and with its permanent collection spanning over 4 floors and offering everything from paintings and sculptures to photography and even some furniture pieces, it calls out like a beacon to art lovers of all disciplines.

The giant clock window also makes for a particularly memorable view, making the visit well worth it, even if you somehow managed to miss all the masterpieces on display. 

So there you have it – our cheat sheet to the best museums in Paris that are perfect for your next French adventure! And if you’re still hungry for more, then just click to and keep looking 👇

Bon voyage!