travelinwifey

Hello, can anyone tell me the name of the newly reopened Interior Design Museum either on the grounds of or attached to the Louvre Paris? I read an article about the museum being open to the public again after being closed for several years and of course I lost the article and the name. Any help is sincerely appreciated, we hope to visit in early September. Thanks.

StCirq

The Louvre des Antiquaires?

Traviata

travel,

I believe it is Musee des Arts Decoratifs. I was there in November and it was fabulous.

mvor

I'm going in June and am thrilled that it's open after so long. Here's the link:

http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/

janisj

Yes - the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. It was not yet re-opened my last two Paris visits and will be a "must" next time.

travelinwifey

Yea! I knew someone here would have the answer, lots of Fodors travelers are in the know! Thanks for the link also.

I may have to look up the Louvre des Antiquaires also since we haven't been yet. Will research that too. Want to see new things, I think there are a lot of them within the last 7 years

jody

Yes, it's the Musee des Arts Decoratifs ...and we were disappointed ! We did not like the displays nor the presentation! In fact when we were in Lyon later in our trip I mentioned to a guide how much better their's was than the newly reopened one in Paris!

The Antiquaires de Louvre is worth a visit..it's always a must do on our trips.

Gretchen

And the Musee d'Orsay has a wonderful section of furniture. Isn't the Antiquaires de Louvre an antique "mall".

Girlspytravel

I went to the Musee des Artes Decoratifs the first week it opened last September. It is very impressive-the collection of Balenciaga gowns was something I esp. liked, plus the 16th century furnished bedrooms as well. However, I must say the Musee has a stunning collection of 15th century Italian Renaissance art-which I did not expect-really impressive-you could walk right up to it, it's placed in small rooms, unlike say, in the Uffizi. Beautiful collection. Also, their 50's and 60's designed rooms I found interesting as well. It takes awhile to go through-I suggest you start first at Angelina's for lunch, (right there on the Rue de Rivoli) and then walk 5 minutes down on the right to the museum for the afternoon.

Girlspytravel

Sorry, I must be thinking in italiano- that would be "Rue di Rivoli."

OReilly

I visited the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in January - how I have missed it!

Adored the Balenciaga exhibit (I was lucky to catch a 60s fashion exhibit in the V&A the next weekend!), which was my primary reason for going, and then spent hours exploreing every nook and cranny. Don't miss the 20's & 30's furniture rooms - my favorites.

Its a Paris "must see", on Rue de Rivoli, just a couple of minutes walk from the entrance to the Louvre.

Regards ... Ger

ekscrunchy

I agree. It is a fantastic museum and one you could spend all day visiting. Prepare for lines at the entrance.

kerouac

Anyway, it is part of the Louvre building itself.

jody

Ger, you missed it because it has been mostly closed for a few years.

Ackislander

My wife and I went last week and were not as impressed as I expected us to be. The art deco/art nouveau collections and rooms are fantastic, as are the medieval collections and the eighteenth century -- if you ever wanted to know the differences among 18th cent French chairs, you will see dozens here.

BUT it is very confusingly laid out and difficult or impossible to follow chronologically. Also, many of the exhibits are temporary -- the Balenciaga for example; when we were there, it was Jean Paul Galtier, and that is a different kettle of fish! Fabulous gift shop. I am glad I went, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back. My daughter is an interior designer, though, and I think she would find it very interesting on repeated visits.

travelinwifey

Well, it's interresting to read the mixed comments here, guess we'll have to decide in person Really I think we'll like it very much, thanks travelers for sharing your views on the spot. The Antiquaires is also now on the list.

Girlspytravel

Although I really liked the parts I liked, and I think the medieval section is by far its best, I don't disagree with Ackislander, either- it IS confusingly laid out, which was irritating, but I still think it is worth a visit, and the gift shop is very large, with a great selection.

ekscrunchy

The Balenciaga (is it now JPGautier?) exhibit was not in the actual Decorative arts museum main halls but in the Museum of Costume and Fashion which is a separate wing. I was just blown away (sorry for the awful phrase) but the actual museum exhibits...there is so much beauty within those rooms. I did think the Balenciaga exhibit was confusing to follow chronoligically.

SharonG

I was there in March and just loved it. It was crowded but manageable. Especially loved the silver cup shaped from Pauline Borghese's (nee Bonapart)breast. Particularly since we had been to the Borghese in Rome two years ago. Great great great gift shop with wonderful book collection. I bought several for the kids in my family and one in French for myself on Jackie Kennedy's fashions. Could have spent hours in the gift store.

Christina

I've been in it several times over the years, although not since it has been renovated, but I also was going to say that Balenciaga must have been in the fashion and textile museum, not the decorative arts one. It's in the same building and I believe one ticket covers all the museums in that building. There is also the publicite (ad) museum in there, also, which I have visited a couple times, but it's not a must-see.

Lyon does have one of the very best decorative arts museums in France.