There's no shortage of museums in Paris, but this eye-catching contemporary art gallery may be the city's best place to view cutting-edge art. Funded by luxury giant Cartier, the foundation is at once an architectural landmark, a corporate collection, and an exhibition space. Architect Jean Nouvel's 1993 building is a glass house of cards layered seamlessly between the boulevard and the garden. The nearly self-effacing building highlights a cedar of Lebanon planted 180 years ago by French writer Chateaubriand, who once lived at this address. Along with high-quality exhibitions of contemporary art, the foundation hosts performance nights (contemporary dance, music, film, fashion) on Thursday evenings, some in English. These "Nuits Nomades" start at 8:30.
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