DeborahAnn

cewing98, lots of museums to choose from in Paris. I agree with the Rodin, Cluny and Invalides which are included in the multiday museum pass. The Carnavalet is wonderful and free besides. The Marmottan and Jacquemart-Andre are private so not included in the museum pass but worth every euro. I was at the Jacquemart-Andre a couple of weeks ago and thought the special Napoleon exhibit was excellent. The audio guide for the permanent collection is terrific with lots of additional information about the house and furnishings. Have a great time on your trip. Deborah

Wildfire

Deborah Ann
I could have sworn that the Jacquemart was free with my Museum card.

One museum that nobody has mentioned that i absolutely loved
the Asian Art museum, (Guimet-i think) which was on the way to the trocadero. a magnificent collection emphasising France former colonies of cambodia.

BTilke

Hi Wildfire, I put in for the Guimet in an earlier post (10:34 am), but am always glad to see someone else likes it too!

farflung

A small, but very good, impressionist museum is the Musee le Orangerie. If you stand in front of the Louvre, walk straight away from it through the park for about 10 minutes you'll come to it on your left side. It's a very unassuming building which has Monet's Water Lillies, as well as a few others - if they are not out on exhibition....

mamc

Unfortunately, the Orangerie has been closed for renovation for some time and, as far as I know, there is no date for its reopening. I think the Orangerie is a favorite of all and I continue to hope it will be open soon.

DeborahAnn

Sorry Wildfire, but I was there less than two weeks ago and it was definitely not included in the pass. I think it was a few years ago because I looked at an old musee pass brochure I had saved in my files and it was included then but it is not any longer. I paid 9.50 euro and felt the collection was well worth the price of admission. Deborah

ita

absolutely the Cluny, then the Marmottan and the Carnavalet. When we were at the Cluny we were treated to an unexpected free concert.

StCirq

I doubt if the Orangerie will open again soon. While doing renovations on it they discovered archaeological finds of apparently tremenous importance. It may be that the museum and its contents may ultimately end up elsewhere. It was/is such a lovely little place - I hope that doesn't happen!

ita

P.S. both the Cluny and the Marmottan are relatively small. The Carnavalet is larger but not overwhelming. I also like smaller museums.

clairobscur

Just to point out that the "musee des arts africains et oceaniens", mentionned in this thread has been definitely closed (Unfortunately. I liked this museum). The collections (along with collections coming from other museums) will be displayed in a larger and more modern "Museum of prime arts" that won't open for some years.

Since nobody mentionned it, I'm going to add to the list the basilica in StDenis, just north of Paris, where the tombs of the french kings are situated.

And also, for people interested in music, the "Musee de la Musique", close to the museum of science and industry, in the north of Paris. There's also the museum of Jewish history in the Marais, that I find quite interesting.

While I'm at it, my favorite museum in Paris is Cluny. But's it's highly dependant on one's interests, of course.

cmt

In my VERY limited experience in Paris, I remember that I also liked the Cluny, Rodin, and Marmottan museums.

BTilke

Not a museum, but the Design en Stock exhibition going on until January 2005 is worth a look if you have any interest in contemporary design, home furnishings, etc. It's out by Porte Doree. More info at
www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/ culture-design/designenstock.pdf

jor

Is the Pompidou still there? If it is, don't bother. That crappy looking piece of "modern architecture" was built in the mid 1970's and was falling apart when I saw it in 1979. Its like putting art in an old plastic trash bin surrounded by beautiful historic architecture.

joe19

The Cluny is my favorite of all. Read The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier before seeing it if possible.

StCirq

Yes, the Pompidou IS still there, and has been refurbished a few times since 1979 (that was 25 years ago, Jor). It's certainly not even medium-high on any list of museums that I'd recommend to a visitor to Paris, but it does sometimes have great special exhibits. And the street performers and artists in the Place Beaubourg are always fun.

dovima

I loved the Guimet (Museum of Oriental Art). The Indochinese sculpture collection is stunning. The Chinese section had some pre-dynastic ritual items that were incredible.

I'm also fond of the Unicorn Tapestries at the Cluny. I love the way they are now arranged in a semi-circle, and you can sit on a bench in their midst to contemplate. I love the building the museum is in, but the rest of the Gothic art is just not my thing.

jody

Not exactly a museum..but on our trip this past month , we finally made it inside the Pantheon..most interesting and a side visit to St Etienne du Mont nearby is also worth the time.

I still have Musee de Arts Decoratif left on my list..next time for sure!

shellio

No one has yet mentioned the Musée Cognacq-Jay on rue Elzevir in the Marais, a lovely small hôtel particulier containing the collection of the founder of the Samaritaine department store.

And cewing98, take a look at the website for the Louvre, choose a particular part of it for a visit and figure out how to get there without being distracted by anything else. I know it's a huge collection, but you're missing some of the world's best art if you let yourself be intimidated.

And if you're only going to visit one new museum, I'll add my vote for the Jacquemart-André.

Margaretlb

What a question! Definitely the Jacquemart-Andre is spectacular and the Musee Marmottan. The Rodin is also wonderful especially when the garden is in bloom. Last month I went to both special exhibits: "Turner, Whistler and Monet" at the Grand Palais is fantastic and if the d'Orsay is your favorite then I'm sure you'd really enjoy it; "Veronese the Profane" at the Musee du Luxemborg - wow! if you enjoy Renaisanse (sp) art.

SUNSHINE1223

I would definitely say Marmottan is one of my favorites. I could spend hours downstairs in the basement looking at the Monet painitings.