Which free museum to visit in Paris Region?

Very few Parisian art studios have stood up to the test of time. The Bourdelle Museum in the 15th arrondissement reveals the works of Rodin’s student both in the house and in the 3 beautiful gardens. The Zadkine Museum, which housed the studio of the great cubist art sculptor, can be found near the Luxembourg Garden, where his works blend beautifully and poetically into the natural surroundings.

To pay tribute to a monument of 19th-century literature, visit the House of Balzac in the 16th arrondissement, where the writer finished his masterpiece, The Human Comedy. Once a private mansion, this peaceful museum exhibits some unique paintings, drawings, items of furniture and other objects, offering an artistic and solemn moment far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Literature enthusiasts can pursue their pilgrimage in the 4th arrondissement at the house of Victor Hugo, whose study overlooked the Place des Vosges. At his home, now a museum, you can see manuscripts, drawings and paintings, as well as various artworks created in his honour.

Travel to the far reaches of Asia at the Cernuschi Museum to discover one of the world’s most beautiful collections of art from the Far East. 900 artworks from the depths of history, from the 15th century BC to the 13th century of our era.

The National Liberation of Paris Museum is another great place of remembrance. Located on Place Denfert-Rochereau in the 14th arrondissement, it houses a collection of more than 7,000 pieces that help to explain the inner workings of the greatest conflict of the 20th century.

Interested in the history of the City of Light? Visit the oldest museum in Paris, the Carnavalet Museum, to unveil all the secrets held within. This former private mansion houses a 3,900 m² exhibition of the objects and artworks that built its own story: paintings, furniture, coins… and even a watch that belonged to Zola!

Between the great museums of Paris, there are some less famous ones too. The Paris Modern Art Museum (MAM), for instance, can be found in the east wing of the Tokyo Palace. It houses a collection of 11,000 pieces from 20th-century European art. You’ll be able to admire and compare the paintings of Matisse, Picasso and Klein without paying a cent.

In the 8th arrondissement, the Petit Palais, which neighbours the Grand Palais, houses a free exhibition, a sublime art retrospective ranging from Antiquity to the 20th century. This includes, among others, a prestigious collection of French 19th-century art: Delacroix, Cézanne and Monet to name but a few.

Some museums have been created from private collections, like the Cognacq-Jay museum which houses the legacy of the founder of La Samaritaine and his wife. This private mansion pays tribute to 18th-century European art, through 1,200 works that you can see for free.

If you want to pursue your artistic tour, visit the Museum of Romantic Life which once housed the painting studio of Ary Scheffer. This house offers a moving insight into the life and works of the artist from the Paris smart set whose muse was none other than George Sand. A poetic pause that you may want to round off in style with a cup of tea in the shade of the wisteria.

Fancy a free revision of the classics of art? Head for the Orsay Museum in the 7th arrondissement, one of the most beautiful museums in the world. In this temple to art with a capital A, a whole collection of world-famous artworks, from Monet’s gardens to the self-portraits of Van Gogh, bears witness to the greatest artistic movements.

More into modern or contemporary art? Behind its colourful tubes, the Pompidou Centre has been shaking up the art world since 1977 with its avant-garde collections. Gaze at the Klein Blue or the paintings by Bacon to understand the ingeniousness, sometimes worshipped and sometimes criticised, of the legendary artists showcased by this museum.

Some museums highlight just one of the old masters, like the Picasso Museum which showcases the artist’s entire works. This former private mansion houses the world’s largest collection of the works of Picasso. Sculptures, engravings and sketches unveil the secrets of this legendary 20th-century artist.

The same goes for the Orangery Museum, which pays a moving tribute to the iconic works of Monet, the Water Lilies. It was the artist himself who chose this site to install the 8 panels, each 2 metres high, portraying the garden of Giverny in a mural spanning 91 metres in length. The museum also highlights the ‘Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume’ collection comprising 146 artworks from the 19th and 20th century.

If you’re more into romantic art, the Eugène Delacroix Museum in the 6th arrondissement of Paris unveils the last home of one of the greatest French painters of the 19th century. In addition to the museum where his works are on display, you’ll also enter the intimacy of his studio located in a secret garden.

In the 9th arrondissement of Paris you’ll find the Gustave Moreau Museum, which was the home and studio of the undisputed master of symbolic art. The private mansion is an elegant illustration of the way of life in the 19th century. In this exhibition oozing with authenticity, the artist’s paintings are displayed on easels.

In the 7th arrondissement stands one of the world’s greatest tributes to non-western civilisations. Set in vast, modern grounds, the Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum houses 300,000 pieces from the arts and civilisations of Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania.

More into capes and swords? One of the largest medieval collections in the world can be found in the heart of Paris. Comprising a private mansion, a Gothic chapel and the Gallo-Roman baths, the Cluny National Museum of the Middle Ages plunges you into a thousand years of the history of art, from Antiquity to the Renaissance.

Less well known but just as fascinating, the Paul Éluard Art & History Museum in Saint-Denis exhibits art, archaeology and history collections. Installed in a 17th-century convent since 1981, the museum is a listed historical monument named after this poet who lived in Saint-Denis.

History isn’t just about wars, kings and queens and key dates. For an alternative look at history, visit the Paris Arts & Crafts Museum in the 3rd arrondissement. Children and adults will love this museum with its fascinating educational approach and its rich collection of more than 80,000 inventions and artworks ranging from the Lumière brothers’ camera to models of the very first satellites.

Another unique venue is the Museum of Hunting & Nature which explores the relationship between humans and animals over the course of history. Here you’ll see casts, stuffed animals, paintings and much more.

Dominating the Place du Trocadéro in the 16th arrondissement, the Architecture & Heritage Centre is a pilgrimage venue for lovers of the First Art. This museum exhibits thousands of casts and dozens of models, to take you exploring the monuments of France, from the cathedrals of Paris to the metallic structures of the industrial era.

Art and adventure at the Guimet Museum. Like the Cernuschi Museum, this museum shines a spotlight on the Asian arts through a collection of more than 4,000 works. It features among the largest museums of its kind in Europe, covers 5,000 years of history and has never stopped enriching its collection since it opened in 1889.

Photography can also take you to distant lands. The Albert-Kahn Museum is devoted to the iconographic works of the philanthropist, Albert Kahn. In the 19th century, he undertook a project to collect a photographic and filmographic record from over 60 countries. He gathered thousands of black-and-white images on autochrome plates, the first ever industrial photography process patented by the Lumière brothers. But the magic of this museum doesn’t stop there. Explore the gardens around it to get an overview of the world’s botanical diversity.

Fancy a crash course in contemporary art? On the outskirts of Paris, the MAC VAL Contemporary Art Museum of Val-de-Marne creates a dialogue between the public and the exhibits, to make art accessible to all. Upcoming artists rub shoulders with the monuments of contemporary art, offering a real feast for the eyes. Prolong your visit with a walk in the adjoining garden dotted with sculptures from the collection.

A wing of the Salm Hotel, a neoclassical palace dating from the 18th century, houses the Museum of the Legion of Honour and of Orders of Chivalry. Since the Great War, the museum collections have highlighted French distinctions from across the world, with more than 5,000 national recognition medals, Legions of Honour and other pieces from 1,000 years of merit history.

Take a leap back a few decades to gain insight into one of the darkest chapters in history, the genocide of Jews during the Second World War. Records are safeguarded by two museums that pass on the memory to a wide audience: the Paris Holocaust Museum** and the Drancy Holocaust Museum. Both museums are located at highly symbolic sites, the former in the Jewish district of Le Marais, the latter at Drancy, where there was once an internment camp. The tour design is captivating and the content highly informative, with multiple temporary exhibitions.

Science fans can visit a museum devoted to one of the greatest figures in history, the Curie Museum. And don’t worry, the former Radium institute has been completely decontaminated. Visit the museum as well as the study and the laboratory to find out more on her life and her historic discoveries about radioactivity.

Fancy leading an investigation? In the 5th arrondissement of Paris, the Police Headquarters Museum retraces police history from the 17th century to the present day. It also presents major affairs that have made the headlines such as the case of the Bonnot Gang and the affair of the diamond necklace.

Between art and history, the palace of Versailles conceals a little gem, the Gallery of Carriages. This unusual museum, located next to the Equestrian Academy of Versailles, invites visitors to admire a majestic collection of coaches and carriages. From the small vehicles used by Marie-Antoinette’s children to Napoleon’s wedding carriage, you’ll get a taste of life at the palace!

Who has never admired the famous black-and-white photograph entitled ‘Baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville’ (the Kiss at the Town Hall)? Welcome to the Robert Doisneau Photography Gallery which is devoted not to the great photographer himself, but to the humanist dimension of photography that Doisneau always championed. The exhibitions go beyond borders and time, with photographic displays that will delight enthusiasts and the simply curious.

Do you prefer sculpture? The Brancusi studio In the 4th arrondissement presents a fascinating retrospective of the sculptor’s life and works. The artist opened these doors to visitors during his lifetime to encourage interaction. So it’s only natural that you may still dialogue with his works which left their mark on 20th-century sculptural art.

Beyond the museums, certain art venues are difficult to put into categories. They are part culture centre, part museum and propose a high-quality cultural and artistic programme that’s entirely free of charge. One example is Lafayette Anticipation, a former industrial building in the heart of Paris, now converted into an art venue. Design, music and the living arts come together here in about 4 exhibitions per year.

On the other side of the river Seine, in the 7th arrondissement, an old electrical substation hosts exhibitions that are both artistic and informative. Created in 1990, the Espace Fondation EDF is a venue that invites people to gain a better understanding of the world of tomorrow.