Because there’s so much more to the City of Light’s inimitable art scene than the Mona Lisa.
Paris is one of the greatest cities for many great reasons. Its beauty is the stuff of literature, films, and art. Its cuisine the envy of the world. And just like cities of the same caliber, Paris’ cultural scene is thriving and throbbing with life.
This is especially true of its museums. There, of course, is the Louvre in all its imposing glory with its staggering collection of over 500,000 artworks and artifacts. Then there’s the elegant Musée d’Orsay, peerless when it comes to Impressionist treasures by masters such as Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Edouard Manet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, and Claude Monet.
I’m not here to talk about the Louvre and Orsay though. If you’ve been to Paris—or are planning to go—then these two cultural institutions were/are most probably high up on your to-do list. I’m here to shine the spotlight on a few lesser known museums in the city which are just as worthy of a spot on your itinerary.
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Centre Pompidou
This is my favorite museum in Paris tied with Musee d’Orsay. I love everything about the Centre Pompidou, from its radical architecture featuring industrial pipes aplenty and massive windows to its collection of over 100,000 pieces that goes back to the early 1900s. Among the masterpieces you’d find here are works by iconic modern and contemporary artists including Wassily Kandinsky, Frida Kahlo, Otto Dix, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall (one of my favorites!), and so many others that I could go on and on all day.
The museum also affords visitors sweeping views of Paris, especially of quaint Montmartre and its famous landmark, the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, up on a hill. Outside the museum you’ll find the Stravinsky Fountain with its whimsical moving sculptures, which is highly Instagrammable—trust me, I took a lot of selfies there (hides in a corner).
If you’re going in the next few months, lucky you! Centre Pompidou has an ongoing “Surrealism” exhibition, which retraces over 40 years of “exceptional creative effervescence” from 1924 to 1969. The exhibition is organized both chronologically and thematically, curated into 14 sections that evoke literary figures who inspired the movement—Lautréamont, Lewis Carroll, Sade—and the principles that informed its distinct imagery.
I implore you to not forget to swing by the souvenir shop (you’re welcome!). I think I blew a good portion of my pocket money on a Centre Pompidou guide, notebooks, bookmarks, a mouse pad, and a neat little tote bag that is still in its original packaging to this day (So middle class Pinoy, I know). I could live there as much as I could spend the rest of my life in Shakespeare and Company, Paris’ famous little bookshop.
Pro tip: It is highly recommended to book your tickets in advance for a specific time slot and if you’re in town on the first Sunday of the month, admission to the permanent collection and children’s gallery is free!
Musée Rodin
If Orsay and Pompidou make my heart race from excitement just at the mention of their names, Musée Rodin makes me feel all warm inside—it was my mom’s favorite Parisian museum after all.
If you’re like her who’s into all things pretty, dramatic, and romantic, then this museum’s right up your alley. I will always remember spending a quiet afternoon here with her and our good friend, Fr. Marcelo Manimtim. She had us take countless photos of her with the art works, especially with her favorite sculpture, “The Kiss,” and we happily obliged as her compliant photographers.
The museum’s total area covers about three hectares, with a handsome 18th-century mansion as its centerpiece. Inside you’ll find a vast collection of Rodin’s exquisite marble scupltures and busts, which seem to come alive when the lights turn off.
Musée Rodin also has a vast sculpture garden (flowers were in full bloom on our May visit many moons ago) that showcases his most famous large-scale bronze sculptures like “The Gates of Hell” and “The Thinker.” The mansion can be too crowded so it’s best to come early or late in the afternoon.
Situated in the heart of Paris, Musée Rodin boasts not only an astonishing collection but also a most exceptional location—it’s just a few steps away from the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides! You can then set aside a full day for this triumvirate of Parisian icons: Visit the Invalides first, then you head out to Musée Rodin. Before the museum closes at 6:30 pm, you can start your leisurely stroll to the world’s most famous tower as the sun dips on the horizon.
Musée de l’Orangerie
I always feel a pang of disappointment whenever I get asked “Orangerie? Orange museum ba yan?” Sigh. Not a lot of people know about this little gem of a museum—but don’t let its compact size and intimate vibe fool you.
What it lacks in grandeur it more than makes up for with its exemplary collection which includes Monet’s breathtaking “Nymphéas,” a series of water lily paintings which depict the gardens at his home in Giverny. The government built a pair of oval rooms inside the museum as a permanent home for eight of these water lily murals. I still recall gawking like a fool at these hypnotic paintings (which spurred an impromptu day trip to his home in Giverny—more on that on a different day).
The lower level houses a few more of Monet’s Impressionist works and many by Alfred Sisley, Renoir, Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Amedeo Modigliani. If you’re a fan of Impressionist and Post-Impressonist works, this museum is a must after Orsay.
The next best thing about the Orangerie? It sits at the Jardins de Tuileries, arguably Paris’ most popular park. This compact museum is best for a quick visit (but please don’t miss the water lily paintings!) and you can go have a picnic at the park after.
Petit Palais
As its name suggests, the Petit Palais is the little sister of the Grand Palais. I think it’s a bit of a misnomer, though, because it’s no less a magnificent edifice. Designed by Charles Girault for the World’s Fair of 1900, the building was turned into a museum in 1902.
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I loved two things about our visit to Petit Palais: the entry to the permanent collection is FREE and despite this, it doesn’t really draw in crowds even if it has an impressive array of art works. The walls of the museum, for instance, feature decorative murals by symbolists Albert Besnard, Fernand Cormon, and Alfred Roll. There are also paintings and sculptures acquired by the city government of Paris since 1870, including pieces from masters such as Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, Rodin, Gauguin, and Gustave Courbet.
If art fatigue has already set in, go out and bask in the Parisian sunshine at Petit Palais’ tranquil inner garden before taking a stroll to nearby Champs-Élysées.
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Paris has plenty of other museums and cultural hotspots that I have yet to visit, which are sadly collecting dust on my bucket list. There’s Palais de Tokyo, the largest center for contemporary art in Europe. There’s also Grand Palais, Institut du Mond Arabe (and its captivating façade), Fondation Louis Vuitton, and so many more.
Ah, tu me manques, Paris!