Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Degas, Picasso, Matisse. There is no other city where you can rub shoulders with such a variety of famous artists. As a fine art major at Arizona State University these were the pieces we read about, studied, and admired. To see them in person was the stuff of dreams and to see so many within the span of a week was life changing. Maybe you are not an artist or an art major, but I promise you- Paris is home to a piece of art you’ll recognize, appreciate, and remember forever. Here is our guide to our favorite art museums in Paris.
Le Musee du louvre
The Louvre Museum
The Louvre is one of the most-recognized sites in Paris. This former palace turned museum is well known for the glass pyramid serving as the entrance. You could easily spend DAYS here and not see every work of art, so planning which collections you would like to view will be beneficial.
Here are some of our favorite works of art at the Louvre:
Limited on time at the Louvre? Check out these Collections:
Tips when visiting the Louvre
La Musee D'Orsay
The Orsay Museum
This museum is my JAM. I cannot enter a gallery here without getting teary eyed. There is just something about seeing the strokes that Van Gough made himself. Housed within a converted railway station built for the Paris Exposition in 1900 the building is proof that Paris does architecture RIGHT.
Here are some of our favorite works of art at the Musee D’Orsay:
Musee National d’Art Moderne & Centre Georges Pompidou
National Museum of Modern Art & Pompidou Center
Yet another case of the building being its own masterpiece. The Museum of Modern Art is housed within the Pompidou Center, famous for the pipes covering the exterior. There are many recognizable pieces here but non-art nerds must enter with an open mind, to a time when so many are asking “what is art” and pushing the envelope. Some of the pieces here are interactive installations, providing a very different experience to other on this guide.
Here are some of our favorite works of art at the Musee d’Art Moderne:
Maison Europeene de la Photographie “La MEP”
European House of Photography
With more than 24,000 photographs in their collection this is a must-see for photography lovers (like us!). The library features a staggering collection of more than 36,000 photography books. We are so glad that we stopped here for an afternoon.
