
The 10 Best Museums in Paris
Updated: September 2025 • Written by Beaurouge’s Paris-based guides
Paris is a living museum — and its museums are worlds within the city.
From medieval tapestries to radical contemporary installations, we curate days that feel effortless:
right timing, smart routes, and just enough time for a café in between. We particularly love early entries,
late openings, and rooftop views you might otherwise miss.
Use this list to sketch your plan — or let us fold it into a tailored curated tour of Paris (private guide + driver on request).
Jump to: Louvre • Musée d’Orsay • Musée de l’Orangerie • Centre Pompidou • Musée Rodin • Musée Picasso • Musée Carnavalet • Marmottan Monet • Bourse de Commerce – Pinault • Fondation Louis Vuitton
1. Louvre
World’s largest art museum and a full-day universe. We love planning a focused loop (Greek masterpieces + Italian painting), then a quieter gallery for balance (Islamic Arts, Near Eastern antiquities). Early entry helps the flow.
The palace itself is part of the experience — vaulted halls, courtyards, traces of the medieval moat. If you’re short on time, we craft a 2–3 hour “masterpieces + one passion” route (e.g., Renaissance portraits, Dutch still life, Egyptian favorites).
2. Musée d’Orsay
Once a Belle Époque railway station, now the home of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. We particularly love starting upstairs with Monet, Renoir, Degas and working down to Van Gogh and Gauguin. Don’t miss the clock views over the Seine.
The scale is perfect for a half day. We pace rooms to avoid fatigue (color-heavy galleries, then sculpture for contrast), and add five-minute “view breaks” at the clock windows. Families enjoy the variety — painting, sculpture, design.
3. Musée de l’Orangerie
Two oval rooms designed with Monet: immersive, quiet, almost meditative. Downstairs, small but radiant collections (Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Modigliani).
A beautiful “bridge” between big museums: 45–60 minutes is enough if you’re pacing a longer day. We pair it with a garden stroll in the Tuileries or a café on rue de Rivoli, then continue riverside.
4. Centre Pompidou (Modern & Contemporary)
Paris’s bold inside-out icon: Kandinsky to Duchamp, plus panoramic views from the escalators and rooftop. We particularly love the way temporary shows reframe the collection.
The sequence of rooms makes contemporary art feel readable: strong color, then quiet space, then a surprise object. If you’re traveling with teens, this is where curiosity lights up.
5. Musée Rodin (Hôtel Biron & Gardens)
Indoors for masterpieces, outdoors for wander and light. The garden’s rhythm is perfect for travelers who need space between galleries. On warm days, we alternate sculpture with shade, and keep the finale for the Hôtel Biron’s intimate rooms.
With kids, we turn it into a sculpture “hunt” — hands, folds, gestures — then a short walk toward the Seine for a reward stop.
6. Musée Picasso (Hôtel Salé, Marais)
A townhouse devoted to Picasso’s many lives — painting, sculpture, ceramics. Recent redisplays make the visit feel fresh and focused. We love pairing it with a Marais stroll: cafés, courtyards, and hidden gardens.
The chronological arc helps first-timers grasp the shifts: blue to rose, cubism to classical, late ceramics that feel playful. 60–90 minutes is a sweet spot if you’re combining museums the same day.
7. Musée Carnavalet (History of Paris)
Our go-to for context. We particularly love the period rooms and the way temporary shows connect past to present. Free entry to the permanent collection makes it easy to add to your day.
The narrative runs from Roman Lutetia to Haussmann and beyond; we pick 6–8 rooms that tell your favorite themes: revolution, cafés, literature, signage. It’s unexpectedly fun for kids — spot the old shop fronts.
8. Musée Marmottan Monet
Home to the world’s largest Monet collection, including Impression, Sunrise. We love the intimate scale and the way the rooms unfold from salon to gallery.
Away from the center, it’s a calmer experience. We combine it with a leafy walk through nearby streets, then a café pause before heading back. Monet lovers also discover Berthe Morisot here — a highlight in her own right.
9. Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
A 19th-century dome reimagined with a minimal concrete cylinder — the architecture is half the visit. We start in the Rotunda, then spiral outward; audio pieces and large-scale works reward slow looking.
If your schedule is tight, we pick one major installation and two side galleries, then a quick pause under the dome to absorb the space.
10. Fondation Louis Vuitton (Frank Gehry)
A glass-sail landmark in the Bois de Boulogne with blockbuster exhibitions and family workshops. We particularly love golden-hour walks around the building — and the way shows mix modern masters with today’s voices.
The setting adds breathing room to an art day. We time it with the park: gallery loop → terrace views → woodland stroll. It’s also a great finale before dinner back in the center.
When to Visit & How to Combine Them
For calmer halls and softer light, we like mornings mid-week and evenings on late-opening days. Pair a “big one” (Louvre/Orsay) with a smaller gem (Orangerie/Marmottan) and a garden stroll in between.
Need a family plan or accessibility-friendly route? We craft pacing, shortcuts, and café stops so your day feels effortless.
Discover Paris with Beaurouge
We design door-to-door days with licensed guides, timed entries, and smooth transfers — so you simply enjoy the art and the city.
Paris Museums — FAQ
Do I need to book in advance?
For the Louvre and d’Orsay, timed tickets help a lot; we handle bookings and pacing in our private tours.
Are there free days?
Many national museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month (policies vary). We’ll check your dates and advise.
What about kids?
We keep routes short, add interactive stops, and schedule breaks. Sketchbooks, scavenger hunts, and garden time work wonders.
Ready to plan? Browse our Paris tours or message us via Contact.









