JaneB

We're taking the Eurostar from London to Paris for 3 days in September and would love to hear recommendations for one of the smaller museums. I know there are several that are not frequently visited and I know some of you have been to all of them.
We've visited the "major" museums on previous trips.
Thanks.
Jane

adrienne

- Maillol - sculpture
- Jacquemart-Andre - period house with renaissance art
- Nissim de Camondo - period house
- Romantic Life - period house (George Sand memorabilia) with lovely garden & cafe - this is the sweetest place on a warm summer afternoon
- Cluny (I consider this a major museum but seldom see mention of it on this board)
- Bourdelle - sculpture

JaneB

The Romantic Life looks interesting! Thanks for the suggestion. Visited Cluny and J-A previously.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%...Vie_Romantique

adrienne

Here are photos:

http://www.hotels-paris-rive-gauche....antique-paris/

cigalechanta

Assuming you have visied the Rodin and Picasso museums?

HappyTrvlr

Marmottan,and L'Orangerie. Both have excellent Monet exhibits.

julia_t

I loved the Nissim de Camondo, and the Musee de la Vie Romantique is nice too.

adrienne

Picasso museum is closed until summer 2013.

Cathinjoetown

Houses more than museums--Victor Hugo's in the Place des Voges and Delacroix's house and studio, 6 rue Furstenberg, just off blvd st germain and rue de seine. Both very interesting.

The Cluny houses the national meuseum of the middle ages, art and household artifacts including the Lady and Unicorn tapestries. As a bonus, it's housed in an abbey which was built over a Roman bath so you see those excavations as well.

Have not been but would like to see the baccarat museum which is part of their store on place des Etats Unis.

AlessandraZoe

I like the Picasso and the Cluny (mainly for the "Lady and the Unicorn") but my two "petite" faves are...

L'Orangerie...
which may have been closed when you last visited. I know it was closed for so long during our visits that I almost forgot it existed when it finally reopened. Let's just say that I shall be back again and again. I could have spent hours watching the light change on the waterlilies. Extra great if you have been to Giverny.

Special exhibits in the basement here are usually top notch, partly because the exhibit space is very, very good.

Jacquemart-Andre...
... which is one of my favorites for several reasons:
1) Love story (she was an artist painting her future husband's portrait)
2) Private house of the couple in love--so if you like house tours, you get that added in the mix
3) House has some astonishing features
4) Their art collection is astounding*
5) You can have a delightful meal in a delightful room there

*Case in point about their collection: Renaissance art had gone out of fashion in their day. They LOVED Italian Renaissance art and created a superb private collection for their own enjoyment which guests rarely saw. Husband dies, wife goes on--to collect ORIENTAL art, not yet in fashion. And that's just touching the iceberg.

Just an FYI re special exhibits here: I don't like them in this space. Claustrophobic. If your time is limited, feel guiltless in only doing the regular house stuff. It's enough.

MelJ

Nissim de Camondo is my favorite and you can stroll through the Parc Monceau which sits in the home's backyard, as well.

My other favorite is the Rodin. Once you've visited his home, check out the Bourdelle Musee to see the beautiful sculpture his protege created.

outwest

Another vote for the Nissim de Camondo—the collection is lovely, it comes with a great audio tour and when we visited in March we practically had the place to ourselves. It's right by the Parc Monceau so we bought sandwiches and ate our lunch there. If you've read The Hare with the Amber Eyes you can see the Ephrussi House as they were neighbors with the Camondos.

kayd

Institute of the Arab World -- early pottery and glass, astronomical and navigational instruments, carpets, calligraphy.
In a very interesting modern building (Jean Nouvel), in the 5th near the Sully Bridge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_World_Institute

StCirq

Jeu de Paume
Marmottan
Centre Pompidou
Cognac-Jay
Jewish Art & History
Doll museum
Musée Jean Moulin
Fondation Henri Cartier-Besson
Musée Zadkine
Carnavalet
Musée de l'Opéra
Musée Guimet
Musée de la Musique
Musée de l'Armée
Musée Delacroix

I love the Carnavalet, the Jean Moulin, the Opéra, the Jeu de Paume, and the Marmottan. And last time we were in Paris there were some fascinating exhibits at the Centre Pompidou.

adrienne

I forgot about the Jewish Museum - that was so interesting.

cigalechanta

Two that I also like,
Musee Zadkine.
Musee de la Chasse

avalon

Shohah Memorial is a must to visit. We go to the Rodin just about every trip. So many new temp.exhibits at the larger museums make them a must do and the renovations at the drsay make the trip more than worthwhile

Phread

The Union des Arts Decoratif has an interesting show on about Marc Jacobs and LV and I really want to check out the Baleciaga exhibit at the design space ib the 13th. The Maison Royge has a fun show on neon right now and the Fondation Cartier exhibits are often worth a visit.

cigalechanta

I saw the nean show at the Maison R, It's on my trip report.

latedaytraveler

JaneB, thank you for starting this thread. I plan to “do” several smaller museums when I visit Paris this June.

At the top of my list is the Musee Nissim de Camondo so strongly recommended here. Going on a Wednesday because it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. I hope to combine it with a stroll through Park Monceau and a visit the Musee Jacquemart Andre which is open every day.

Outwest, I agree that reading THE HARE WITH AMBER EYES: A Family’s Century of Art and Loss by Edmund de Waal provides context for the Camondo. Both the Camandos and the Ephrussi/deWaal clans later suffered in the Holocaust regardless of their wealth, position, and good works.

I really got hooked on smaller museums last summer in London when I visited THE WALLACE COLLECTION not far from Marble Arch.