The 23 Best Museums to Visit in Paris

Paris, the City of Light. Millions of travelers perceive it as an ideal destination. With structures spanning the Middle Ages (Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés) to the 21st century (Frank Gehry’s Louis Vuitton Foundation), Paris offers a way to time travel through beauty in art and architecture. It is the birthplace of Gothic and Art Deco styles, and even of postmodern aesthetics. The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris (built between 1163 and 1345), recently risen from the ashes; the Dôme des Invalides (1677–1707); the École Militaire (1751–80); the Palais Garnier (1861–75); the Eiffel Tower (1887–89); and the recently revamped Grand Palais (1897–1900)—are all considered masterpieces in an open-air museum as large as the city itself.

Within Paris thrive about 200 institutions, each with a collection of its own. “One of my favorite things about Paris is the concentration of cultural hot spots,” says French artist and academician Jean-Michel Othoniel. Opposite the Musée du Louvre and its 38,000 works of art stands the Musée d’Orsay, known for its Impressionist treasures. Further along the Seine are the Petit Palais, the Musée d’art moderne de Paris, and the Palais de Tokyo. On opposing corners of the Tuileries Garden are the Jeu de Paume and the Musée de l’Orangerie. They are all among our picks of the 23 best museums in the Ville Lumière.