Paris has a reputation for being one of the most artistic cities in the world and it is completely saturated with galleries, street artists and art museums. But with so many choices, how do you narrow it down to a few of the best so you can still get your culture fix without spending days lost in the world of paintings and sculptures? Well I have taken the guess work out with my recommendations for the top 6 that the city has to offer. If you only have time to see a few, make sure these are on your list!
1. Musee' de l'Orangerie
This museum houses an absolutely spectacular collection of Monet paintings that alone are well worth the visit. The round rooms are the museums selling point with enormous Monet paintings spanning nearly the entire the circumference of the rooms so you can walk around the paintings and really see the detail and brush work. The museum houses many other notable artists including Van Gogh, Matisse and Renoir to name just a few but the real pleasure of this museum is that you get an array of amazing artists in a fairly small space with a limited crowd. Some museums in Paris can be so crowded that it detracts from the art as you have to stand in a huge throng of people to get to it. Although not empty by any means, you do have some space to breathe in the L'Orangerie, plus its quite d-able in an hour so if your short on time this is a great place to visit to get a taste without spending hours.
2. Musée d'Orsay
This museum houses probably the most expansive and varied collection in Paris. If you know of an artist, their work will be housed here. With famous works from Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne, Manet and so, so many more, this museum has it all. Housing paintings, sculptures and even furniture and ceramic pieces the D'Orsay is floor after floor of history and priceless masterpieces. By far the most varied and inclusive collection in Paris, this museum however can be a little overwhelming. There are rooms after rooms off little side corridors and down mini levels, so its very hard to keep track of where you have been and difficult to make a plan of attack to see it all. If you have hours to spare and really enjoy your art then this is the place for you as you can spend easily 4 to 5 hours here without even trying. However if your short on time, this will burn it up really fast, and make your head spin a little.
3. Centre Georges Pompidou
With a fantastic display of more contemporary art pieces, this is a great place for the more modern art lover. With works from Jackson Pollock, Marcel Duchamp, Salvidore Dali, Picasso, and Andy Warhol up to the current artists of today, this museum is home to some of the more weird and wonderful examples of modern art. With floors of paintings, sculptures and even instillation pieces the works here are definitely a bit more larger than life compared to the more reserved paintings and sculptures of many of the other museums in Paris. Be aware though, that some of the floors are private collections and exhibitions from new artists and incur an extra fee on top of that of admission. But don't despair, the museum has more than enough to see without those extra floors.
A little word to the wise though, as with most museums in Paris, make sure you arrive more than an hour before closing time. The websites will tell you that last ticket is sold a half an hour before closing, and although this is true you honestly shouldn't even bother at this point. It has nothing to do with you not being able to make it though the museum in that time (because honestly, a lot of places you can really see in less than half an hour if your fast), and everything to do with the fact that the museum staff will start herding you out like cattle once its a half an hour till closing. Although many places in France do this, the Pompidou Centre is among the worst, with the staff members lining up across the back wall then doing a slow march to force patrons out. Even if you have one room left to go and a half an hour to spare, you wont get through the staff barricade, so save your admission fee for a day when you can arrive earlier.
4. The Louvre
The Louvre is probably the most famous museum in France, if not the world, so why is it only number 4 on my list? Well that is mostly to do with its level of notoriety. Everyone knows about the Louvre and its on most peoples must see list when they visit Paris. However, because of this its also extremely over crowded. Lines to get inside are lengthy and waiting times at security can be exhausting. Not to mention the crowds to people in front of you at the most famous pieces, most notably the Mona Lisa. Most of the museum houses works from the Renaissance period so although the pieces are spectacular and intricate, they are a lot of the same style so if you are looking for diversity you will be a little disappointed. The biggest draw card is obviously the Mona Lisa, which is a timeless and beautiful piece from Leonardo Davinci, but if i'm being completely honest, its a little underwhelming for the effort it is to catch a glimpse. It is a lot smaller then you imagine, and due to its fame it is kept way back from prying hands and behind a very thick sheet of glass, so a good photo is very hard to take, not to mention that no matter how early you get to the museum, you will be in a group of no less than 100 people vying for prime position at any given time. So although this museum is still a must see and a collection of some of the worlds most beautiful art, check your expectations at the door because this tends to be a little of a long haul fight rather than the relaxing image of an art museum visit that you have in your mind.
5. Musée Rodin
For a nice change of pace, this museum is more of a stroll in the Sculpture park. With most of the works from Rodin displayed outside, you are more likely to see people lying on the grass in the sun and sketching here then your are seeing people flight for prime photo taking position. The crowds are non existent as people are spread widely around the grounds so for most of the works you will have the space to yourself. The grounds are also beautifully maintained with rose bushes and greenery to walk amongst and a beautiful fountain to sit beside and take a break. The main museum is housed in the middle of the grounds and that is where you will find the most grouping of people, but even then you have your space to walk around the pieces without bumping shoulders. Plus, as an added bonus, the museum houses some works by other notable artists such as Van Gogh as a part of the Rodin personal collection.
Paris also has a scheme that students under the age of 25 get free admission into museums on certain days of the week, so at the Rodin museum you will find a lot of young adults just hanging out and sitting among the art works doing their own art. Its a great vibe to be around and such a nice change of pace from our technology driven existence on social media and the internet.
6. Musée Picasso
The Picasso museum is another great museum to visit while in Paris. Although a little more specific in its collection, as the majority of the pieces are from Picasso himself as the name would suggest, it is still varied in the works that they have chosen to display. With the many different styles that Picasso experimented with during his lifetime, there is a little bit of something here for everyone whether you are a fan of the more subdued to the more outlandish and abstract pieces that gathered him his fame. While visiting, i was lucky enough to be able to see the Guernica exhibition based around his famous 1937 mural sized painting. If you are able to see the exhibit while it is still there I highly recommend it as it showcases some of Picasso's most intriguing pieces and hilights a very tumultuous period in world history.
Honorable Mention: Dali Exhibit
Although not technically a museum, the Dali exhibit deserves a mention in this list as it is the home to some truly fascinating pieces from Slavadore Dali. This little hole in the wall gallery is in Montmartre, only a few yards away from Artists Square (which in itself is worth a visit) and is little knows about so you have the place virtually to yourself to explore. It houses some of his lesser knows paintings, drawings and sculptures (with some up for purchase if you have pockets that deep) and is a weird and wonderful glimpse into the innermost workings of the Dali psyche.
Montmartre is a quirky little suburb knows for its artistic flair and if you have the time to walk around, you will see some amazing street artists work on virtually every surface you can find (if you're really into this, there are many street art tours you can take to explore in mire depth). And while you are here, take a walk around Artists Square. Here the local artists sit and work on new pieces while selling to the foot traffic that walk by. Its a great place to buy yourself a little piece of Parisian art (without the six figure price tag of some of the pieces at the Dali Gallery) or even just sit and see the masters work. Well worth the trip to this out of the way area. However, be fore warned, there are stairs. And when i say stairs, i mean i swear the suburb is made out of them. Be prepared to walk up more flights of stairs to reach this little out of the way area than you have walked up in your entire life. And if you think you are public transporting your way to the top then think again, as most unfortunately tend to drop you off at the very bottom. So if you want to save your legs, maybe consider taking a taxi to the top. Just sayin, you were warned.
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