Paris provides a wealth of opportunities to enjoy art for free. There are chic art boutiques, pop-up art displays, and notable free museums in Paris allowing visitors to immerse themselves in Parisian culture. <\/p>\n
What I love most about the free museums in Paris is the ability to stop by and spend a short time perusing. Each visit to a Paris museum opens up a new world. I have personally visited each of these 11 free museums in Paris and find that they offer visitors the chance to dive into exceptional collections whether you are looking for sculptures, art, or ancient relics!<\/p>\n
Please Note: <\/h3>\n\n- when there is a temporary exhibition at these free museums in Paris, there may be an entry fee charged<\/li>\n
- book your entry in advance<\/li>\n
- many museums in Paris offer free entry on the first Sunday of each month. Refer to the list below.<\/li>\n
- you know I love museums and art galleries, here are some top museums in Paris<\/a><\/span><\/strong> apart from the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Orsay and the Louvre<\/li>\n
- Calling all museum lovers, try the Paris Museum pass<\/span><\/strong><\/a> for 2, 4, or 6 days. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
12 Free Museums in Paris<\/h2>\n1. The Archives Museum (Mus\u00e9e des Archives Nationales, site du Paris)<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Archives-National-Museum-Free-Paris.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Archives-National-Museum-Free-Paris.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep through the National Archives museum\u2019s entrance and be swept away by one of the most stunning h\u00f4tel particuliers in Paris, the H\u00f4tel de Soubise. Wander through the magical gardens and then explore the museum\u2019s elegant interior. Browse through the documents on display. Will you see Napoleon\u2019s will, Marie Antoinette\u2019s farewell letter or the only known portrait of Joan of Arc?<\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e des Archives Nationales<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Closed Tuesday; All Other Weekdays 10 AM to 5:30 PM; Weekends 2 PM to 5:30 PM<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: H\u00f4tel-de-Ville (line 1), Rambuteau (line 11), Arts et M\u00e9tiers (line 3)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes, Open daily<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Balzac\u2019s House (La Maison de Balzac)<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Balzac-House-1-768x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Balzac-House-1-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Balzac-Bust--768x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Balzac-Bust--768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nLa Maison de Balzac is dedicated to the life and works of Honor\u00e9 de Balzac. It is not hard to imagine Balzac writing in this charming green and white townhouse with its view over the Eiffel Tower. Balzac\u2019s writing desk where he wrote relentlessly day and night for seven years is on display. This free Paris museum also houses original manuscripts, first editions of Balzac\u2019s works and several busts of Balzac. Looking at the displayed revisions of his manuscripts, it is hard to imagine how his editors survived! <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Balzac-revisions-.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Balzac-revisions-.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n Linger in the garden and soak up the Eiffel Tower views. Be sure to descend into the laneway behind this free Paris museum. When the tax man was at the front door, Balzac used to exit his back door to the laneway and into the streets of Paris. It\u2019s not hard to visualize! <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re inspired to read Honor\u00e9 de Balzac after your visit, pick up one of his famous books in the tiny gift shop. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> La Maison de Balzac<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 47 rue Raynouard, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Closed Monday; All Other Weekdays 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Passy (line 6), La Muette (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: The Rose Caf\u00e9<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes. Open daily and a view of the Eiffel Tower<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. The Bourdelle Museum (le mus\u00e9e Bourdelle)<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bourdelle-Museum-Paris-.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bourdelle-Museum-Paris-.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bourdelle-Museum-Paris-1-589x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bourdelle-Museum-Paris-1-589x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nStrolling through the Bourdelle Museum is to step into the life of Antoine Bourdelle, a leading sculptor from the early 20th century. Set in his home and workshop where he lived for 40 years, the museum displays Bourdelle\u2019s bronze sculptures in the gardens and major plaster casts in his studios. Personal artifacts are also on display which add to the charm of the museum. <\/p>\n
After he died in 1929, his wife Cl\u00e9op\u00e2tre and daughter Rhodia made it their life\u2019s goal to fulfill Bourdellle\u2019s wish to create a museum where his works could be displayed.<\/p>\n
This free museum in Paris, a real hidden gem, provides a simply enchanting retreat for art lovers. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Bourdelle<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 18 rue Antoine Bourdelle, Paris, 15th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Montparnasse (lines 1, 4, 6, 12, 13 \u2013 exit Place Bienvenue), Falgui\u00e8re Vert (line 12)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Le Rhodia; Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 5:30 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. The Carnavalet Museum (le mus\u00e9e Carnavalet)<\/h2>\n\n![\"free](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Carnavalet-Museum.jpg\"\/)
![\"free](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Carnavalet-Museum.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet, the History of Paris Museum, is set in two stunning 16th-century mansions in the Marais.<\/a><\/span><\/strong> If you are Paris-obsessed like me, you will love it. The Carnavalet Museum has a very large collection (625,000 works) so pace yourself or plan to revisit on another day. <\/p>\nHighlights for me include the ancient shop signs, the artefacts from the times of Henri IV, the Belle Epoque gallery and the magnificent recreation of the jewellery boutique of Georges Fouquet. Don\u2019t miss the original mascarons (grotesquely carved stone faces) from the Pont Neuf. <\/p>\n
The summer season (May to October) sees Fabula, a terrace restaurant, set up in the garden of the Carnavalet Museum. Swoon. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet <\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 23 rue de S\u00e9vign\u00e9, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul, Br\u00e8guet Sabin, Pont-Marie, Chemin Vert<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Fabula, Seasonal<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. The Cernuschi Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cernuschi )<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Cernuschi-Free-Museum-Paris-1-1.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Cernuschi-Free-Museum-Paris-1-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Cernuschi-free-Museum-Paris-1-2-567x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Cernuschi-free-Museum-Paris-1-2-567x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nIt was because I had some time to kill that I ended up at the Cernuschi Museum! I was heading to Parc Monceau to spend 30 minutes before an appointment but the park\u2019s grand gates were locked due to a wind storm. As I turned to leave the park entrance, the elegant private mansion housing the Cernuschi Museum came into view. Although I can admit that Asian art is not a particular interest of mine, I decided to enter and see what this free museum in Paris was all about! <\/p>\n
Founded in 1898 by Italian financier and passionate art collector Henri Cernuschi, the museum is one of the oldest in Paris and the second-largest museum of Asian art in France. The collection is extensive with over 12,000 pieces, including ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures. <\/p>\n
There are plenty of interesting pieces but the enormous 18th-century bronze statue of Buddha will take your breath away as will the delightful array of musicians on horseback. <\/p>\n
I found the Cernuschi Museum to be a real Paris hidden gem. Typical Paris. The unexpected often thrills. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Chernuschi<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 7 ave V\u00e9lasquez, Paris, 8th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Villiers (lines 2 and 3) <\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: No (but it is right beside Parc Monceau)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. The Cognacq-Jay Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cocnacq-Jay)<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Cognacq-Jay-Museum-Paris.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Cognacq-Jay-Museum-Paris.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis hidden gem for art lovers is tucked away in le Marais. The Cognacq-Jay Museum is housed in a charming Paris townhouse built in 1575. The collection of artworks was bequeathed to the City of Paris by Ernest Cognacq (1839 \u2013 1928), founder of La Samaritaine department store, and his wife Marie-Louise Jay. <\/p>\n
Wander through the Cognacq-Jay\u2019s Parisian home and admire the spectacular collection of 18th-century paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture, and art objects. Highlights include Diana After the Hunt<\/em> by Boucher (pictured above) and Perrette and the Pot of Milk<\/em> by Fragonard. <\/p>\nCognacq was a connoisseur of portrait paintings. What a delight to find several Vig\u00e9e- Lebrun\u2019s pieces on display! <\/p>\n
Looking for a tranquil place to explore in le Marais? Why not pop into the Cognacq-Jay Museum? You\u2019ll end up staying much longer than anticipated! <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Cognacq-Jay<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 8 rue Elz\u00e9vir, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul (line1), Chemin Vert (line 8), Rambuteau (line 11)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
7. The Liberation of Paris \u2013 General Leclerc Museum -Jean Moulin Museum<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Musee-de-la-Liberation-Paris--543x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Musee-de-la-Liberation-Paris--543x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Musee-de-la-Liberation-Paris-1.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Musee-de-la-Liberation-Paris-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThis free museum in Pars is a sobering encounter with Paris\u2019s past. Step into the Paris occupation during World War II, the P\u00e9tain Government, and the round-up of the French Jews. Meet French resistance heroes that risked, and often lost, their lives to battle the Nazi occupation and fight for freedom. The Liberation of Paris gallery exudes the hope and joy found on the streets of Paris when the Germans surrendered the French capital on August 25, 1944.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to walk down the stairs (over 100) to the passive defence shelter used from August 20, 1944, as a command post. You can go down without the immersive experience (explained below), but need to book a time.<\/p>\n
The Immersive Experience:<\/strong> Experience the command post with 3-D glasses where the workings of the subterranean secret headquarters are right before your eyes\u2026book your free spot at the museum counter for a thirty-minute tour. Limited numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead More:<\/strong> After your visit to this free museum in Paris, why not stay in the 14th arrondissement<\/span><\/strong> <\/a>and explore all there is to see and do! Or simply cross the street and descend into the fascinating Paris Catacombs. <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFree Museum In Paris: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e de la Lib\u00e9ration de Paris<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy, Paris 14th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Denfert-Rochereau (lines 4, 6 and RER B)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
8. Modern Art Museum (Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris)<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Modern-Art-N-de-Stael-Paris.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Modern-Art-N-de-Stael-Paris.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI first went to the Museum of Modern Art in Paris to see the retrospective exhibition of Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl. And what an exhibition it was! (Pictured above from the mus\u00e9e de Grenoble, de Sta\u00ebl\u2019s Sicily<\/em> from 1954).<\/p>\nThe museum itself is full of light and the permanent collection displays about 15,000 works representative of the major artistic movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. Look for works by Modigliani, Braque, and Matisse. And don\u2019t miss the canvases by Dufy and Bonnard. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Museum of Modern Art<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 11 ave du Pr\u00e9sident Wilson, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Alma-Marceau and I\u00e9na (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Forest<\/a><\/span><\/strong> with an indoor restaurant and stunning terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower; Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 AM to 2 AM and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
9. The Petit Palais<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Petit-Palais-Free-Museum1.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Petit-Palais-Free-Museum1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Petit-Palais-Free-Museum.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Petit-Palais-Free-Museum.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThe Petit Palais is one of my favourite free museums in Paris. First of all, the elegant Beaux-Arts building, built for the World\u2019s Fair in 1900, is an absolute wonder to enter and wander through. Secondly (but no less important), the free permanent collection is one that you can visit time and time again always finding a new painting or sculpture to admire. On a recent visit, I discovered art nouveau<\/a><\/span><\/strong> furniture designed by Hector Guimard! (You know my love for all things art nouveau!)<\/p>\nThe grand, light-filled galleries in this exquisite building will not disappoint! You\u2019ll find masterpieces from Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, and Paul C\u00e9zanne along with plenty of paintings that will stop you in your tracks. Just pop in for an hour or two and be swept away! <\/p>\n
Plan a visit around a coffee or lunch to experience Le Caf\u00e9 1902! The food is great and the tranquil courtyard with its spectacular garden views is unforgettable.<\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
12 Free Museums in Paris<\/h2>\n1. The Archives Museum (Mus\u00e9e des Archives Nationales, site du Paris)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep through the National Archives museum\u2019s entrance and be swept away by one of the most stunning h\u00f4tel particuliers in Paris, the H\u00f4tel de Soubise. Wander through the magical gardens and then explore the museum\u2019s elegant interior. Browse through the documents on display. Will you see Napoleon\u2019s will, Marie Antoinette\u2019s farewell letter or the only known portrait of Joan of Arc?<\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e des Archives Nationales<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Closed Tuesday; All Other Weekdays 10 AM to 5:30 PM; Weekends 2 PM to 5:30 PM<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: H\u00f4tel-de-Ville (line 1), Rambuteau (line 11), Arts et M\u00e9tiers (line 3)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes, Open daily<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Balzac\u2019s House (La Maison de Balzac)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nLa Maison de Balzac is dedicated to the life and works of Honor\u00e9 de Balzac. It is not hard to imagine Balzac writing in this charming green and white townhouse with its view over the Eiffel Tower. Balzac\u2019s writing desk where he wrote relentlessly day and night for seven years is on display. This free Paris museum also houses original manuscripts, first editions of Balzac\u2019s works and several busts of Balzac. Looking at the displayed revisions of his manuscripts, it is hard to imagine how his editors survived! <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n Linger in the garden and soak up the Eiffel Tower views. Be sure to descend into the laneway behind this free Paris museum. When the tax man was at the front door, Balzac used to exit his back door to the laneway and into the streets of Paris. It\u2019s not hard to visualize! <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re inspired to read Honor\u00e9 de Balzac after your visit, pick up one of his famous books in the tiny gift shop. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> La Maison de Balzac<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 47 rue Raynouard, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Closed Monday; All Other Weekdays 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Passy (line 6), La Muette (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: The Rose Caf\u00e9<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes. Open daily and a view of the Eiffel Tower<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. The Bourdelle Museum (le mus\u00e9e Bourdelle)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nStrolling through the Bourdelle Museum is to step into the life of Antoine Bourdelle, a leading sculptor from the early 20th century. Set in his home and workshop where he lived for 40 years, the museum displays Bourdelle\u2019s bronze sculptures in the gardens and major plaster casts in his studios. Personal artifacts are also on display which add to the charm of the museum. <\/p>\n
After he died in 1929, his wife Cl\u00e9op\u00e2tre and daughter Rhodia made it their life\u2019s goal to fulfill Bourdellle\u2019s wish to create a museum where his works could be displayed.<\/p>\n
This free museum in Paris, a real hidden gem, provides a simply enchanting retreat for art lovers. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Bourdelle<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 18 rue Antoine Bourdelle, Paris, 15th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Montparnasse (lines 1, 4, 6, 12, 13 \u2013 exit Place Bienvenue), Falgui\u00e8re Vert (line 12)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Le Rhodia; Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 5:30 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. The Carnavalet Museum (le mus\u00e9e Carnavalet)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet, the History of Paris Museum, is set in two stunning 16th-century mansions in the Marais.<\/a><\/span><\/strong> If you are Paris-obsessed like me, you will love it. The Carnavalet Museum has a very large collection (625,000 works) so pace yourself or plan to revisit on another day. <\/p>\nHighlights for me include the ancient shop signs, the artefacts from the times of Henri IV, the Belle Epoque gallery and the magnificent recreation of the jewellery boutique of Georges Fouquet. Don\u2019t miss the original mascarons (grotesquely carved stone faces) from the Pont Neuf. <\/p>\n
The summer season (May to October) sees Fabula, a terrace restaurant, set up in the garden of the Carnavalet Museum. Swoon. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet <\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 23 rue de S\u00e9vign\u00e9, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul, Br\u00e8guet Sabin, Pont-Marie, Chemin Vert<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Fabula, Seasonal<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. The Cernuschi Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cernuschi )<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nIt was because I had some time to kill that I ended up at the Cernuschi Museum! I was heading to Parc Monceau to spend 30 minutes before an appointment but the park\u2019s grand gates were locked due to a wind storm. As I turned to leave the park entrance, the elegant private mansion housing the Cernuschi Museum came into view. Although I can admit that Asian art is not a particular interest of mine, I decided to enter and see what this free museum in Paris was all about! <\/p>\n
Founded in 1898 by Italian financier and passionate art collector Henri Cernuschi, the museum is one of the oldest in Paris and the second-largest museum of Asian art in France. The collection is extensive with over 12,000 pieces, including ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures. <\/p>\n
There are plenty of interesting pieces but the enormous 18th-century bronze statue of Buddha will take your breath away as will the delightful array of musicians on horseback. <\/p>\n
I found the Cernuschi Museum to be a real Paris hidden gem. Typical Paris. The unexpected often thrills. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Chernuschi<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 7 ave V\u00e9lasquez, Paris, 8th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Villiers (lines 2 and 3) <\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: No (but it is right beside Parc Monceau)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. The Cognacq-Jay Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cocnacq-Jay)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis hidden gem for art lovers is tucked away in le Marais. The Cognacq-Jay Museum is housed in a charming Paris townhouse built in 1575. The collection of artworks was bequeathed to the City of Paris by Ernest Cognacq (1839 \u2013 1928), founder of La Samaritaine department store, and his wife Marie-Louise Jay. <\/p>\n
Wander through the Cognacq-Jay\u2019s Parisian home and admire the spectacular collection of 18th-century paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture, and art objects. Highlights include Diana After the Hunt<\/em> by Boucher (pictured above) and Perrette and the Pot of Milk<\/em> by Fragonard. <\/p>\nCognacq was a connoisseur of portrait paintings. What a delight to find several Vig\u00e9e- Lebrun\u2019s pieces on display! <\/p>\n
Looking for a tranquil place to explore in le Marais? Why not pop into the Cognacq-Jay Museum? You\u2019ll end up staying much longer than anticipated! <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Cognacq-Jay<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 8 rue Elz\u00e9vir, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul (line1), Chemin Vert (line 8), Rambuteau (line 11)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
7. The Liberation of Paris \u2013 General Leclerc Museum -Jean Moulin Museum<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThis free museum in Pars is a sobering encounter with Paris\u2019s past. Step into the Paris occupation during World War II, the P\u00e9tain Government, and the round-up of the French Jews. Meet French resistance heroes that risked, and often lost, their lives to battle the Nazi occupation and fight for freedom. The Liberation of Paris gallery exudes the hope and joy found on the streets of Paris when the Germans surrendered the French capital on August 25, 1944.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to walk down the stairs (over 100) to the passive defence shelter used from August 20, 1944, as a command post. You can go down without the immersive experience (explained below), but need to book a time.<\/p>\n
The Immersive Experience:<\/strong> Experience the command post with 3-D glasses where the workings of the subterranean secret headquarters are right before your eyes\u2026book your free spot at the museum counter for a thirty-minute tour. Limited numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead More:<\/strong> After your visit to this free museum in Paris, why not stay in the 14th arrondissement<\/span><\/strong> <\/a>and explore all there is to see and do! Or simply cross the street and descend into the fascinating Paris Catacombs. <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFree Museum In Paris: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e de la Lib\u00e9ration de Paris<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy, Paris 14th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Denfert-Rochereau (lines 4, 6 and RER B)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
8. Modern Art Museum (Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI first went to the Museum of Modern Art in Paris to see the retrospective exhibition of Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl. And what an exhibition it was! (Pictured above from the mus\u00e9e de Grenoble, de Sta\u00ebl\u2019s Sicily<\/em> from 1954).<\/p>\nThe museum itself is full of light and the permanent collection displays about 15,000 works representative of the major artistic movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. Look for works by Modigliani, Braque, and Matisse. And don\u2019t miss the canvases by Dufy and Bonnard. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Museum of Modern Art<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 11 ave du Pr\u00e9sident Wilson, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Alma-Marceau and I\u00e9na (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Forest<\/a><\/span><\/strong> with an indoor restaurant and stunning terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower; Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 AM to 2 AM and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
9. The Petit Palais<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThe Petit Palais is one of my favourite free museums in Paris. First of all, the elegant Beaux-Arts building, built for the World\u2019s Fair in 1900, is an absolute wonder to enter and wander through. Secondly (but no less important), the free permanent collection is one that you can visit time and time again always finding a new painting or sculpture to admire. On a recent visit, I discovered art nouveau<\/a><\/span><\/strong> furniture designed by Hector Guimard! (You know my love for all things art nouveau!)<\/p>\nThe grand, light-filled galleries in this exquisite building will not disappoint! You\u2019ll find masterpieces from Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, and Paul C\u00e9zanne along with plenty of paintings that will stop you in your tracks. Just pop in for an hour or two and be swept away! <\/p>\n
Plan a visit around a coffee or lunch to experience Le Caf\u00e9 1902! The food is great and the tranquil courtyard with its spectacular garden views is unforgettable.<\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep through the National Archives museum\u2019s entrance and be swept away by one of the most stunning h\u00f4tel particuliers in Paris, the H\u00f4tel de Soubise. Wander through the magical gardens and then explore the museum\u2019s elegant interior. Browse through the documents on display. Will you see Napoleon\u2019s will, Marie Antoinette\u2019s farewell letter or the only known portrait of Joan of Arc?<\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e des Archives Nationales<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Closed Tuesday; All Other Weekdays 10 AM to 5:30 PM; Weekends 2 PM to 5:30 PM<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: H\u00f4tel-de-Ville (line 1), Rambuteau (line 11), Arts et M\u00e9tiers (line 3)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes, Open daily<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Balzac\u2019s House (La Maison de Balzac)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nLa Maison de Balzac is dedicated to the life and works of Honor\u00e9 de Balzac. It is not hard to imagine Balzac writing in this charming green and white townhouse with its view over the Eiffel Tower. Balzac\u2019s writing desk where he wrote relentlessly day and night for seven years is on display. This free Paris museum also houses original manuscripts, first editions of Balzac\u2019s works and several busts of Balzac. Looking at the displayed revisions of his manuscripts, it is hard to imagine how his editors survived! <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n Linger in the garden and soak up the Eiffel Tower views. Be sure to descend into the laneway behind this free Paris museum. When the tax man was at the front door, Balzac used to exit his back door to the laneway and into the streets of Paris. It\u2019s not hard to visualize! <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re inspired to read Honor\u00e9 de Balzac after your visit, pick up one of his famous books in the tiny gift shop. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> La Maison de Balzac<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 47 rue Raynouard, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Closed Monday; All Other Weekdays 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Passy (line 6), La Muette (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: The Rose Caf\u00e9<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes. Open daily and a view of the Eiffel Tower<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. The Bourdelle Museum (le mus\u00e9e Bourdelle)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nStrolling through the Bourdelle Museum is to step into the life of Antoine Bourdelle, a leading sculptor from the early 20th century. Set in his home and workshop where he lived for 40 years, the museum displays Bourdelle\u2019s bronze sculptures in the gardens and major plaster casts in his studios. Personal artifacts are also on display which add to the charm of the museum. <\/p>\n
After he died in 1929, his wife Cl\u00e9op\u00e2tre and daughter Rhodia made it their life\u2019s goal to fulfill Bourdellle\u2019s wish to create a museum where his works could be displayed.<\/p>\n
This free museum in Paris, a real hidden gem, provides a simply enchanting retreat for art lovers. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Bourdelle<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 18 rue Antoine Bourdelle, Paris, 15th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Montparnasse (lines 1, 4, 6, 12, 13 \u2013 exit Place Bienvenue), Falgui\u00e8re Vert (line 12)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Le Rhodia; Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 5:30 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. The Carnavalet Museum (le mus\u00e9e Carnavalet)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet, the History of Paris Museum, is set in two stunning 16th-century mansions in the Marais.<\/a><\/span><\/strong> If you are Paris-obsessed like me, you will love it. The Carnavalet Museum has a very large collection (625,000 works) so pace yourself or plan to revisit on another day. <\/p>\nHighlights for me include the ancient shop signs, the artefacts from the times of Henri IV, the Belle Epoque gallery and the magnificent recreation of the jewellery boutique of Georges Fouquet. Don\u2019t miss the original mascarons (grotesquely carved stone faces) from the Pont Neuf. <\/p>\n
The summer season (May to October) sees Fabula, a terrace restaurant, set up in the garden of the Carnavalet Museum. Swoon. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet <\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 23 rue de S\u00e9vign\u00e9, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul, Br\u00e8guet Sabin, Pont-Marie, Chemin Vert<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Fabula, Seasonal<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. The Cernuschi Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cernuschi )<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nIt was because I had some time to kill that I ended up at the Cernuschi Museum! I was heading to Parc Monceau to spend 30 minutes before an appointment but the park\u2019s grand gates were locked due to a wind storm. As I turned to leave the park entrance, the elegant private mansion housing the Cernuschi Museum came into view. Although I can admit that Asian art is not a particular interest of mine, I decided to enter and see what this free museum in Paris was all about! <\/p>\n
Founded in 1898 by Italian financier and passionate art collector Henri Cernuschi, the museum is one of the oldest in Paris and the second-largest museum of Asian art in France. The collection is extensive with over 12,000 pieces, including ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures. <\/p>\n
There are plenty of interesting pieces but the enormous 18th-century bronze statue of Buddha will take your breath away as will the delightful array of musicians on horseback. <\/p>\n
I found the Cernuschi Museum to be a real Paris hidden gem. Typical Paris. The unexpected often thrills. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Chernuschi<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 7 ave V\u00e9lasquez, Paris, 8th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Villiers (lines 2 and 3) <\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: No (but it is right beside Parc Monceau)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. The Cognacq-Jay Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cocnacq-Jay)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis hidden gem for art lovers is tucked away in le Marais. The Cognacq-Jay Museum is housed in a charming Paris townhouse built in 1575. The collection of artworks was bequeathed to the City of Paris by Ernest Cognacq (1839 \u2013 1928), founder of La Samaritaine department store, and his wife Marie-Louise Jay. <\/p>\n
Wander through the Cognacq-Jay\u2019s Parisian home and admire the spectacular collection of 18th-century paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture, and art objects. Highlights include Diana After the Hunt<\/em> by Boucher (pictured above) and Perrette and the Pot of Milk<\/em> by Fragonard. <\/p>\nCognacq was a connoisseur of portrait paintings. What a delight to find several Vig\u00e9e- Lebrun\u2019s pieces on display! <\/p>\n
Looking for a tranquil place to explore in le Marais? Why not pop into the Cognacq-Jay Museum? You\u2019ll end up staying much longer than anticipated! <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Cognacq-Jay<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 8 rue Elz\u00e9vir, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul (line1), Chemin Vert (line 8), Rambuteau (line 11)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
7. The Liberation of Paris \u2013 General Leclerc Museum -Jean Moulin Museum<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThis free museum in Pars is a sobering encounter with Paris\u2019s past. Step into the Paris occupation during World War II, the P\u00e9tain Government, and the round-up of the French Jews. Meet French resistance heroes that risked, and often lost, their lives to battle the Nazi occupation and fight for freedom. The Liberation of Paris gallery exudes the hope and joy found on the streets of Paris when the Germans surrendered the French capital on August 25, 1944.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to walk down the stairs (over 100) to the passive defence shelter used from August 20, 1944, as a command post. You can go down without the immersive experience (explained below), but need to book a time.<\/p>\n
The Immersive Experience:<\/strong> Experience the command post with 3-D glasses where the workings of the subterranean secret headquarters are right before your eyes\u2026book your free spot at the museum counter for a thirty-minute tour. Limited numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead More:<\/strong> After your visit to this free museum in Paris, why not stay in the 14th arrondissement<\/span><\/strong> <\/a>and explore all there is to see and do! Or simply cross the street and descend into the fascinating Paris Catacombs. <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFree Museum In Paris: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e de la Lib\u00e9ration de Paris<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy, Paris 14th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Denfert-Rochereau (lines 4, 6 and RER B)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
8. Modern Art Museum (Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI first went to the Museum of Modern Art in Paris to see the retrospective exhibition of Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl. And what an exhibition it was! (Pictured above from the mus\u00e9e de Grenoble, de Sta\u00ebl\u2019s Sicily<\/em> from 1954).<\/p>\nThe museum itself is full of light and the permanent collection displays about 15,000 works representative of the major artistic movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. Look for works by Modigliani, Braque, and Matisse. And don\u2019t miss the canvases by Dufy and Bonnard. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Museum of Modern Art<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 11 ave du Pr\u00e9sident Wilson, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Alma-Marceau and I\u00e9na (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Forest<\/a><\/span><\/strong> with an indoor restaurant and stunning terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower; Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 AM to 2 AM and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
9. The Petit Palais<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThe Petit Palais is one of my favourite free museums in Paris. First of all, the elegant Beaux-Arts building, built for the World\u2019s Fair in 1900, is an absolute wonder to enter and wander through. Secondly (but no less important), the free permanent collection is one that you can visit time and time again always finding a new painting or sculpture to admire. On a recent visit, I discovered art nouveau<\/a><\/span><\/strong> furniture designed by Hector Guimard! (You know my love for all things art nouveau!)<\/p>\nThe grand, light-filled galleries in this exquisite building will not disappoint! You\u2019ll find masterpieces from Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, and Paul C\u00e9zanne along with plenty of paintings that will stop you in your tracks. Just pop in for an hour or two and be swept away! <\/p>\n
Plan a visit around a coffee or lunch to experience Le Caf\u00e9 1902! The food is great and the tranquil courtyard with its spectacular garden views is unforgettable.<\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
2. Balzac\u2019s House (La Maison de Balzac)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nLa Maison de Balzac is dedicated to the life and works of Honor\u00e9 de Balzac. It is not hard to imagine Balzac writing in this charming green and white townhouse with its view over the Eiffel Tower. Balzac\u2019s writing desk where he wrote relentlessly day and night for seven years is on display. This free Paris museum also houses original manuscripts, first editions of Balzac\u2019s works and several busts of Balzac. Looking at the displayed revisions of his manuscripts, it is hard to imagine how his editors survived! <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n Linger in the garden and soak up the Eiffel Tower views. Be sure to descend into the laneway behind this free Paris museum. When the tax man was at the front door, Balzac used to exit his back door to the laneway and into the streets of Paris. It\u2019s not hard to visualize! <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re inspired to read Honor\u00e9 de Balzac after your visit, pick up one of his famous books in the tiny gift shop. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> La Maison de Balzac<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 47 rue Raynouard, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Closed Monday; All Other Weekdays 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Passy (line 6), La Muette (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: The Rose Caf\u00e9<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes. Open daily and a view of the Eiffel Tower<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. The Bourdelle Museum (le mus\u00e9e Bourdelle)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nStrolling through the Bourdelle Museum is to step into the life of Antoine Bourdelle, a leading sculptor from the early 20th century. Set in his home and workshop where he lived for 40 years, the museum displays Bourdelle\u2019s bronze sculptures in the gardens and major plaster casts in his studios. Personal artifacts are also on display which add to the charm of the museum. <\/p>\n
After he died in 1929, his wife Cl\u00e9op\u00e2tre and daughter Rhodia made it their life\u2019s goal to fulfill Bourdellle\u2019s wish to create a museum where his works could be displayed.<\/p>\n
This free museum in Paris, a real hidden gem, provides a simply enchanting retreat for art lovers. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Bourdelle<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 18 rue Antoine Bourdelle, Paris, 15th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Montparnasse (lines 1, 4, 6, 12, 13 \u2013 exit Place Bienvenue), Falgui\u00e8re Vert (line 12)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Le Rhodia; Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 5:30 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. The Carnavalet Museum (le mus\u00e9e Carnavalet)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet, the History of Paris Museum, is set in two stunning 16th-century mansions in the Marais.<\/a><\/span><\/strong> If you are Paris-obsessed like me, you will love it. The Carnavalet Museum has a very large collection (625,000 works) so pace yourself or plan to revisit on another day. <\/p>\nHighlights for me include the ancient shop signs, the artefacts from the times of Henri IV, the Belle Epoque gallery and the magnificent recreation of the jewellery boutique of Georges Fouquet. Don\u2019t miss the original mascarons (grotesquely carved stone faces) from the Pont Neuf. <\/p>\n
The summer season (May to October) sees Fabula, a terrace restaurant, set up in the garden of the Carnavalet Museum. Swoon. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet <\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 23 rue de S\u00e9vign\u00e9, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul, Br\u00e8guet Sabin, Pont-Marie, Chemin Vert<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Fabula, Seasonal<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. The Cernuschi Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cernuschi )<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nIt was because I had some time to kill that I ended up at the Cernuschi Museum! I was heading to Parc Monceau to spend 30 minutes before an appointment but the park\u2019s grand gates were locked due to a wind storm. As I turned to leave the park entrance, the elegant private mansion housing the Cernuschi Museum came into view. Although I can admit that Asian art is not a particular interest of mine, I decided to enter and see what this free museum in Paris was all about! <\/p>\n
Founded in 1898 by Italian financier and passionate art collector Henri Cernuschi, the museum is one of the oldest in Paris and the second-largest museum of Asian art in France. The collection is extensive with over 12,000 pieces, including ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures. <\/p>\n
There are plenty of interesting pieces but the enormous 18th-century bronze statue of Buddha will take your breath away as will the delightful array of musicians on horseback. <\/p>\n
I found the Cernuschi Museum to be a real Paris hidden gem. Typical Paris. The unexpected often thrills. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Chernuschi<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 7 ave V\u00e9lasquez, Paris, 8th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Villiers (lines 2 and 3) <\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: No (but it is right beside Parc Monceau)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
6. The Cognacq-Jay Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cocnacq-Jay)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThis hidden gem for art lovers is tucked away in le Marais. The Cognacq-Jay Museum is housed in a charming Paris townhouse built in 1575. The collection of artworks was bequeathed to the City of Paris by Ernest Cognacq (1839 \u2013 1928), founder of La Samaritaine department store, and his wife Marie-Louise Jay. <\/p>\n
Wander through the Cognacq-Jay\u2019s Parisian home and admire the spectacular collection of 18th-century paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture, and art objects. Highlights include Diana After the Hunt<\/em> by Boucher (pictured above) and Perrette and the Pot of Milk<\/em> by Fragonard. <\/p>\nCognacq was a connoisseur of portrait paintings. What a delight to find several Vig\u00e9e- Lebrun\u2019s pieces on display! <\/p>\n
Looking for a tranquil place to explore in le Marais? Why not pop into the Cognacq-Jay Museum? You\u2019ll end up staying much longer than anticipated! <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e Cognacq-Jay<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 8 rue Elz\u00e9vir, Paris, 3rd arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Saint-Paul (line1), Chemin Vert (line 8), Rambuteau (line 11)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: Yes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
7. The Liberation of Paris \u2013 General Leclerc Museum -Jean Moulin Museum<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThis free museum in Pars is a sobering encounter with Paris\u2019s past. Step into the Paris occupation during World War II, the P\u00e9tain Government, and the round-up of the French Jews. Meet French resistance heroes that risked, and often lost, their lives to battle the Nazi occupation and fight for freedom. The Liberation of Paris gallery exudes the hope and joy found on the streets of Paris when the Germans surrendered the French capital on August 25, 1944.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to walk down the stairs (over 100) to the passive defence shelter used from August 20, 1944, as a command post. You can go down without the immersive experience (explained below), but need to book a time.<\/p>\n
The Immersive Experience:<\/strong> Experience the command post with 3-D glasses where the workings of the subterranean secret headquarters are right before your eyes\u2026book your free spot at the museum counter for a thirty-minute tour. Limited numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead More:<\/strong> After your visit to this free museum in Paris, why not stay in the 14th arrondissement<\/span><\/strong> <\/a>and explore all there is to see and do! Or simply cross the street and descend into the fascinating Paris Catacombs. <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFree Museum In Paris: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Mus\u00e9e de la Lib\u00e9ration de Paris<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy, Paris 14th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: M\u00e9tro stop: Denfert-Rochereau (lines 4, 6 and RER B)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
8. Modern Art Museum (Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris)<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI first went to the Museum of Modern Art in Paris to see the retrospective exhibition of Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl. And what an exhibition it was! (Pictured above from the mus\u00e9e de Grenoble, de Sta\u00ebl\u2019s Sicily<\/em> from 1954).<\/p>\nThe museum itself is full of light and the permanent collection displays about 15,000 works representative of the major artistic movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. Look for works by Modigliani, Braque, and Matisse. And don\u2019t miss the canvases by Dufy and Bonnard. <\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n\n- This Paris museum\u2019s website:<\/strong> Museum of Modern Art<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Location<\/strong>: 11 ave du Pr\u00e9sident Wilson, Paris, 16th arrondissement<\/li>\n
- Opening Hours:<\/strong> Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday<\/li>\n
- Getting to this free Paris museum<\/strong>: Alma-Marceau and I\u00e9na (line 9)<\/li>\n
- Caf\u00e9-Restaurant<\/strong>: Forest<\/a><\/span><\/strong> with an indoor restaurant and stunning terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower; Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 AM to 2 AM and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM<\/li>\n
- Garden<\/strong>: N\/A<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
9. The Petit Palais<\/h2>\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThe Petit Palais is one of my favourite free museums in Paris. First of all, the elegant Beaux-Arts building, built for the World\u2019s Fair in 1900, is an absolute wonder to enter and wander through. Secondly (but no less important), the free permanent collection is one that you can visit time and time again always finding a new painting or sculpture to admire. On a recent visit, I discovered art nouveau<\/a><\/span><\/strong> furniture designed by Hector Guimard! (You know my love for all things art nouveau!)<\/p>\nThe grand, light-filled galleries in this exquisite building will not disappoint! You\u2019ll find masterpieces from Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, and Paul C\u00e9zanne along with plenty of paintings that will stop you in your tracks. Just pop in for an hour or two and be swept away! <\/p>\n
Plan a visit around a coffee or lunch to experience Le Caf\u00e9 1902! The food is great and the tranquil courtyard with its spectacular garden views is unforgettable.<\/p>\n
Free Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nLa Maison de Balzac is dedicated to the life and works of Honor\u00e9 de Balzac. It is not hard to imagine Balzac writing in this charming green and white townhouse with its view over the Eiffel Tower. Balzac\u2019s writing desk where he wrote relentlessly day and night for seven years is on display. This free Paris museum also houses original manuscripts, first editions of Balzac\u2019s works and several busts of Balzac. Looking at the displayed revisions of his manuscripts, it is hard to imagine how his editors survived! <\/p>\n Linger in the garden and soak up the Eiffel Tower views. Be sure to descend into the laneway behind this free Paris museum. When the tax man was at the front door, Balzac used to exit his back door to the laneway and into the streets of Paris. It\u2019s not hard to visualize! <\/p>\n If you\u2019re inspired to read Honor\u00e9 de Balzac after your visit, pick up one of his famous books in the tiny gift shop. <\/p>\n Strolling through the Bourdelle Museum is to step into the life of Antoine Bourdelle, a leading sculptor from the early 20th century. Set in his home and workshop where he lived for 40 years, the museum displays Bourdelle\u2019s bronze sculptures in the gardens and major plaster casts in his studios. Personal artifacts are also on display which add to the charm of the museum. <\/p>\n After he died in 1929, his wife Cl\u00e9op\u00e2tre and daughter Rhodia made it their life\u2019s goal to fulfill Bourdellle\u2019s wish to create a museum where his works could be displayed.<\/p>\n This free museum in Paris, a real hidden gem, provides a simply enchanting retreat for art lovers. <\/p>\n The Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet, the History of Paris Museum, is set in two stunning 16th-century mansions in the Marais.<\/a><\/span><\/strong> If you are Paris-obsessed like me, you will love it. The Carnavalet Museum has a very large collection (625,000 works) so pace yourself or plan to revisit on another day. <\/p>\n Highlights for me include the ancient shop signs, the artefacts from the times of Henri IV, the Belle Epoque gallery and the magnificent recreation of the jewellery boutique of Georges Fouquet. Don\u2019t miss the original mascarons (grotesquely carved stone faces) from the Pont Neuf. <\/p>\n The summer season (May to October) sees Fabula, a terrace restaurant, set up in the garden of the Carnavalet Museum. Swoon. <\/p>\n It was because I had some time to kill that I ended up at the Cernuschi Museum! I was heading to Parc Monceau to spend 30 minutes before an appointment but the park\u2019s grand gates were locked due to a wind storm. As I turned to leave the park entrance, the elegant private mansion housing the Cernuschi Museum came into view. Although I can admit that Asian art is not a particular interest of mine, I decided to enter and see what this free museum in Paris was all about! <\/p>\n Founded in 1898 by Italian financier and passionate art collector Henri Cernuschi, the museum is one of the oldest in Paris and the second-largest museum of Asian art in France. The collection is extensive with over 12,000 pieces, including ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures. <\/p>\n There are plenty of interesting pieces but the enormous 18th-century bronze statue of Buddha will take your breath away as will the delightful array of musicians on horseback. <\/p>\n I found the Cernuschi Museum to be a real Paris hidden gem. Typical Paris. The unexpected often thrills. <\/p>\n This hidden gem for art lovers is tucked away in le Marais. The Cognacq-Jay Museum is housed in a charming Paris townhouse built in 1575. The collection of artworks was bequeathed to the City of Paris by Ernest Cognacq (1839 \u2013 1928), founder of La Samaritaine department store, and his wife Marie-Louise Jay. <\/p>\n Wander through the Cognacq-Jay\u2019s Parisian home and admire the spectacular collection of 18th-century paintings, drawings, sculptures, furniture, and art objects. Highlights include Diana After the Hunt<\/em> by Boucher (pictured above) and Perrette and the Pot of Milk<\/em> by Fragonard. <\/p>\n Cognacq was a connoisseur of portrait paintings. What a delight to find several Vig\u00e9e- Lebrun\u2019s pieces on display! <\/p>\n Looking for a tranquil place to explore in le Marais? Why not pop into the Cognacq-Jay Museum? You\u2019ll end up staying much longer than anticipated! <\/p>\n This free museum in Pars is a sobering encounter with Paris\u2019s past. Step into the Paris occupation during World War II, the P\u00e9tain Government, and the round-up of the French Jews. Meet French resistance heroes that risked, and often lost, their lives to battle the Nazi occupation and fight for freedom. The Liberation of Paris gallery exudes the hope and joy found on the streets of Paris when the Germans surrendered the French capital on August 25, 1944.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to walk down the stairs (over 100) to the passive defence shelter used from August 20, 1944, as a command post. You can go down without the immersive experience (explained below), but need to book a time.<\/p>\n The Immersive Experience:<\/strong> Experience the command post with 3-D glasses where the workings of the subterranean secret headquarters are right before your eyes\u2026book your free spot at the museum counter for a thirty-minute tour. Limited numbers.<\/p>\n Read More:<\/strong> After your visit to this free museum in Paris, why not stay in the 14th arrondissement<\/span><\/strong> <\/a>and explore all there is to see and do! Or simply cross the street and descend into the fascinating Paris Catacombs. <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I first went to the Museum of Modern Art in Paris to see the retrospective exhibition of Nicolas de Sta\u00ebl. And what an exhibition it was! (Pictured above from the mus\u00e9e de Grenoble, de Sta\u00ebl\u2019s Sicily<\/em> from 1954).<\/p>\n The museum itself is full of light and the permanent collection displays about 15,000 works representative of the major artistic movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. Look for works by Modigliani, Braque, and Matisse. And don\u2019t miss the canvases by Dufy and Bonnard. <\/p>\n The Petit Palais is one of my favourite free museums in Paris. First of all, the elegant Beaux-Arts building, built for the World\u2019s Fair in 1900, is an absolute wonder to enter and wander through. Secondly (but no less important), the free permanent collection is one that you can visit time and time again always finding a new painting or sculpture to admire. On a recent visit, I discovered art nouveau<\/a><\/span><\/strong> furniture designed by Hector Guimard! (You know my love for all things art nouveau!)<\/p>\n The grand, light-filled galleries in this exquisite building will not disappoint! You\u2019ll find masterpieces from Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, and Paul C\u00e9zanne along with plenty of paintings that will stop you in your tracks. Just pop in for an hour or two and be swept away! <\/p>\n Plan a visit around a coffee or lunch to experience Le Caf\u00e9 1902! The food is great and the tranquil courtyard with its spectacular garden views is unforgettable.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\nFree Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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3. The Bourdelle Museum (le mus\u00e9e Bourdelle)<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nFree Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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4. The Carnavalet Museum (le mus\u00e9e Carnavalet)<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFree Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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5. The Cernuschi Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cernuschi )<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nFree Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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6. The Cognacq-Jay Museum (Le Mus\u00e9e Cocnacq-Jay)<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFree Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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7. The Liberation of Paris \u2013 General Leclerc Museum -Jean Moulin Museum<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nFree Museum In Paris: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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8. Modern Art Museum (Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris)<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFree Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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9. The Petit Palais<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nFree Paris Museum: Practical Information<\/h3>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dreameratheart.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/VIew-from-Victor-Hugo-Museum-2.jpg\")
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