19 Unique Small Museums in Paris You Should Visit

Paris is known for its art scene and grand museums like the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay. While the bigger museums are most definitely worth a visit, did you know that Paris has many incredible smaller museums, too?

After visiting Paris over 5 times, we decided it was time to branch out and visit some of the small museums in the city. From small art museums of artists like Picasso and Monet to house museums of writers like Victor Hugo and Balzac, there is no shortage of amazing museums to visit.

In this guide, we are sharing 19 small museums in Paris that are worth a visit. We’ve also included practical information like opening times, ticket prices, and how you can save money with the Paris Museum Pass!

The Best Small Museums in Paris

Here is our list of the best small museums in Paris. At the end of the post, you’ll find a map with all of the museum locations and a list of our top 5 museums in case you don’t have time to visit them all.

1. Museé Rodin

The Musée Rodin is located in one of the most beautiful small art museums on the left bank in Paris. The museum is home to some of sculptor Auguste Rodin’s most significant works, including The Thinker and The Kiss.

In 1916, one year before his death, Rodin donated all of his statues and artworks to the state of France. He asked that they be displayed in the Hôtel Biron where the museum is located today.

The museum officially opened in 1919 and features many of his personal drawings, artworks, and prints inside of the classic French Building.

Perhaps the most wonderful part of the museum, and our personal favorite, is the beautiful garden where many of the statues are displayed. This is a lovely spot to wander around and enjoy one of the most beautiful private gardens in Paris while admiring some of Rodin’s greatest masterpieces.

Practical Info:
Address: 77 rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. (closed Mondays)
Tickets: €14 full rate, reservation recommended | Free the first Sunday of every month | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum site.

2. Musée Picasso

You may be surprised that there is an entire museum dedicated to Picasso in the heart of Paris, as he is a world-renowned Spanish painter. The museum in Barcelona may have some of his more well-known artwork, but the Picasso museum in Paris is definitely worth a visit.

Located in the heart of the Marais, in a classic French style building, the Musée Picasso has a wonderful collection of over 5,000 works by Picasso. Ranging from sketches, prints, personal notebooks, completed paintings, and more, this museum is the only one in the world to display such a wide array of Picasso’s work.

The museum isn’t large by any means, but it’s enough to get an insider’s look into Picasso’s creative process and personal life.

Additionally, you’ll also find much of Picasso’s private collection on display featuring masks and statues from Africa, Asia, and many other parts of the world. 

Practical Info:
Address: 5 rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Friday from 10:30am – 6:00pm, Sunday and Saturday from 9:30am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: €7 full rate, €5 for families (1 or 2 adults + child) | Reservation recommended | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum site.

3. Musée de l’Orangerie

The Musée de l’Orangerie is one of the most beloved small museums in Paris.
Located on the banks of the Seine in the Jardin des Tuileries, this museum was originally built as an indoor winter garden for the orange trees in the Tuileries garden in the mid-19th century.

In the 1920’s, the building was transformed into a museum of fine arts. The vision was to house artworks by living artists of the time. While there are many artists featured in the museum, the highlight is definitely Claude Monet’s famous water lily paintings.

Monet worked with the museum’s architect to engineer his large scale paintings to fit perfectly into two oval rooms. In the end, a total of 8 different panels (4 in each room) at a height of 2 meters were displayed at the museum.

The paintings are incredibly impactful, meditative, and inspiring. It’s truly a joyous experience getting to see these works of art in person.

The museum not only houses Claude Monet’s famous water lily paintings but also has works by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, and Picasso on display.

The Musée de L’Orangerie is split into two levels. Monet’s water lily paintings are on the top level and the downstairs level features an entire gallery of spectacular masterpieces by other 20th century artists

This is truly one of the best small museums in Paris and should most definitely be a stop on your Paris itinerary.

Practical Info:
Address: Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde (côté Seine), 75001 Paris
Hours: Open Wednesday to Monday from 9:00 am-6:00pm (closed Tuesdays)
Tickets: €12.50 full rate | Reservation recommended | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum site.

4. Petit Palais

The Petit Palais is one of the best hidden gems in Paris. Located on the banks of the Seine, directly across from the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais is home to the Musee des Beaux-Arts (fine arts museum).

Originally built in 1900 for the world fair in Paris, the Petit Palais officially became a museum in 1902, just two years after the event. Today the museum houses an array of masterpieces by French and European artists from the Renaissance to the 19th century, as well as artwork and furniture dating all the way back to the Classical World and Middle Ages

While the museum is incredible, the palace itself is a work of art. The ceilings are coated in beautiful murals painted in the early 1900’s. The central garden is surrounded by porticos where you can relax and admire the incredible architecture.

A visit to the Petit Palais doesn’t take long, and it’s most definitely worth a quick stop. Its central location makes it ideal to visit during a day of sightseeing in Paris.

Practical Info
Address: Avenue Winston-Churchill 75008 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: Free access to permanent collection | Price varies for exhibition access | Find more info on the official museum site.

5. Maison de Victor Hugo

The Maison Victor Hugo is one of the most beautiful house museums in Paris. The home of famed writer Victor Hugo overlooks the oldest square in Paris, the Place des Vosges, in the heart of the Marais.

Free to visit most days of the week, this house museum offers a look into Victor Hugo’s life as it was when he rented out the home in the mid-1800s.

Perhaps the most inspiring room is the Chinese room shown in the photo above. The paneling work and Asian-inspired details are quite extraordinary. This room was designed by Victor Hugo and was originally made for his home in Guernsey during his exile in the 1860s.

Throughout the home you’ll find copies of letters and manuscripts written by Victor Hugo, along with many items from his personal collection.

On the main floor of the museum is a lovely cafe overlooking the garden, a nice spot for a quiet place to relax.

Practical Info:
Address: 6 place des Vosges, 75004 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: Free admission | Fee for exhibitions varies | Find more info on the official museum website.

6. Musée Carnavalet

The Musée Carnavalet, located in the heart of the Marais, is one of the most charming small museums in Paris. 

Also known as the History Museum of Paris, the Musée Carnavalet is the oldest museum in the city and is housed in a beautiful 16th century building. As you walk around the museum, you’ll be transported through 450 years of history in Paris from its beginnings to modern time. 

You’ll start your visit in the hall of signs where you’ll discover old Parisian shop signs hanging on the walls. Due to a high level of illiteracy back in the day, shop signs were decorated with paintings, engraving, and elaborate ironwork to help people understand what that shop sold. This is a fantastic way to experience what Parisian streets may have looked like a couple hundred years ago.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the museum are the upstairs galleries showcasing 16th to 18th century period rooms  Decorated with hand-painted wallpaper and frescos, luxurious fabrics, and detailed furniture, these rooms will give you a look into Parisian aristocratic life. 

On the lower level, you’ll find many objects and artifacts from prehistoric and ancient times. This is where you can learn about the very early beginnings of Paris, which was once a Roman city.

End your visit with a wander around the outside gardens in the courtyard. These well-manicured gardens are some of the most beautiful private gardens in Paris, and it’s a lovely spot to grab a drink, read a book, or relax for a bit. 

Practical Info:
Address: 23, Rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: Free admission | Find more info on the official museum site.

7. Atelier Brancusi

Atelier Brancusi is a small exhibition space adjacent to the Pompidou Centre in the Marais district displaying Constantin Brancusi’s modernist sculpture. The space is meant to mimic the layout of Brancusi’s studio in Paris, which he left to the state of France after his death.

Free to enter and open in the afternoons, the studio is a charming insight into Brancusi’s process and offers a quick artistic escape while in central Paris. Brancusi was a Romanian sculptor who traveled to Paris by foot (yes—he walked all the way to Paris!) in order to join the innovative Parisian circle of modernist artists at the beginning of the 20th century.

His unique approach to minimalist sculpture with a focus on ‘truth to materials’ sets him apart from other sculpture at the time and directly influenced the likes of Hepworth and Moore in the generation to come.

Brancusi was interested in finding the ‘essence of things’ and began to create abstracted sculptures in order to find that essence rather than being stuck on the external appearance, an innovative and influential idea at the time.

Brancusi’s work was meant to be seen in what he called ‘mobile groups’, changing yet unified combinations of sculpture. So much so that he would create plaster versions of sculptures when one was sold. Therefore, it was crucial for him to be able to display the entire collection of his work so that it could be enjoyed in context.

The exhibition space was designed by Renzo Piano in order to replicate Brancusi’s wishes and reimagine the space in a modern way.

Written by Hannah Kroes from Art Distance

Practical Info:
Address: Place Georges Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France
Hours: Open Wednesday to Monday from 2:00 pm – 6:00pm (closed Tuesdays)
Tickets: Free | Reservation not required | Find more info on the official museum website.

8. Musée National Gustave Moreau

The Moreau Museum, located in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris and on the edge of Montmartre, is dedicated to the work of French Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau.

The museum is housed in Moreau’s former studio, which he transformed into a museum before his death in 1898. The museum’s collection includes over 1,300 paintings, watercolors, and drawings, as well as thousands of sketches and studies.

Moreau’s paintings are known for their dreamlike quality and mystical themes, which were heavily influenced by mythology, religion, and literature. Many of his works feature female figures in alluring and sensual poses, often with exotic and fantastical backdrops.

The museum’s main hall displays Moreau’s most famous work, “The Apparition,” which depicts the biblical figure of Salome dancing before King Herod. The painting is a masterful display of color and light, with Salome’s veils and the background rendered in vivid, otherworldly tones.

The artworks are highly decorative and layered with drawing and ornament, indicative of Moreau’s fin-de-siecle time period. The main hall also features the architectural focal point of the museum itself, a stunningly elegant spiral staircase in an Art Nouveau style.

The museum also includes a library and archives, which house Moreau’s personal collection of books, as well as letters, manuscripts, and photographs. Bedrooms and living rooms are accessible, filled with art, and offer a glimpse into the mind of one of France’s most enigmatic and influential painters, whose work inspired generations of artists to come.

Written by Hannah Kroes from Art Distance

Practical Info:
Address: 14 Rue de La Rochefoucauld, Paris
Hours: Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm (closed Tuesdays)
Tickets: €7 full rate, Free the first Sunday of every month | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum site.

9. Musée Bourdelle

The Musee Bourdelle is a small museum in Paris dedicated to the life and work of French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle. Located in the Montparnasse district, the museum is housed in Bourdelle’s former studio, where he worked from 1885 until his death in 1929.

The museum is free to enter and preserves the authenticity of Bourdelle’s studio spaces alongside well-lit exhibition spaces, particularly the double height hall displaying his monumental sculptures. Bourdelle was a prominent figure in the Art Deco movement, and his sculptures are characterized by their monumental size and dynamic energy.

He was known for his mastery of different materials, from marble to bronze to plaster, and his ability to imbue his figures with a sense of life and movement. His mastery in these materials is evident at the museum which includes gardens as well as interior spaces, displaying bronze versions of his sculptures outdoors.

His ‘Penelope’ is particularly arresting; he captures the patient and introspective Penelope as she waits for Odysseus’s return in an elegantly curved composition. One of the museum’s most significant works is Bourdelle’s “Hercules the Archer,” which stands at an impressive 3.5 meters tall.

The sculpture depicts the mythical hero Hercules, who is often depicted in a heroic pose, as an archer, in a moment of pause between his labors. Bourdelle also worked on the frieze sculptures for the Theatre of the Champs-Elysees, and the museum displays his maquettes and plans for this project. Bourdelle may be a relatively lesser-known art figure when considering the grand scheme of Parisian museums, but his work had an undeniable impact on the city of Paris and modern sculpture.

Written by Hannah Kroes from Art Distance

Practical Info:
Address: 18, rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: Free | Reservation not required | Find more info on the official museum site.

10. Musée de Cluny

The Musée de Cluny is also known as the National Middle Ages Museum in Paris. The museum was founded in the 19th century and features thousands of artworks from the Middle Ages ranging from tapestries to jewelry and ancient artifacts.

Most notably, the museum is home to the infamous Lady and The Unicorn tapestries on display. These six magnificent tapestries were woven in the early 1500s from wool and silk and feature a woman and a unicorn surrounded by endless floral and fauna.

While the tapestries may be over 500 years old, they still have incredible impact on the design world today. Inspiring many wallpaper prints, fabric prints, and artworks.

Make your way to the exterior of the museum, and you’ll step into ancient history. Discover the 1st and 2nd century AD Gallo-Roman that once spanned over 6,000 square meters in the heart of Paris. These are some of the largest ancient remains to have been found in Northern Europe.

If you enjoy learning about ancient and Middle Age history, then the Musée de Cluny is a must-see small museum in Paris.

Practical Info:
Address: 6 place Paul Painlevé, 75005 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30am – 6:15pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: 12€ full rate | Free on first Sunday of the month | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum website.

15. Musée de la Vie Romantique

The Musée de la Vie Romantique, the Museum of the Romantic Life, is situated in the 9th arrondissement near Montmartre.

The museum was originally home to Dutch painter and teacher, Ary Scheffer, where he lived for nearly 30 years during the first half of the 1800s.

After his death, the home was eventually sold to the state of France in 1956 and officially became a museum in 1987. Inside of the museum, you’ll find many portraits and artworks from the early 1800s, the period of Romanticism in art.

Although placed in a busy part of the city, the museum looks as though it belongs somewhere in the Southern French countryside with its green shutters and lovely garden. You can grab a cup of tea at Rose Bakery, the museum’s tea house, and take a wander around the property for a nice respite from the city.

Practical Info:
Address: Hotel Scheffer-Renan, 16, rue Chaptal 75009 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: Free | Find more info on the official museum website.

16. Musée Cognacq-Jay

The Musée Cognacq-Jay, located in the heart of a Marais, is a museum dedicated to 18th century art and decoration.

The small museum is home to an incredible collection of art, originally collected by Ernest Cognacq, the founder of the successful department store La Samaritaine.

Ernest and his wife, Marie-Louise Jay, wanted to create a space that would transport the museum-goers to the 18th century. He purchased many ornate wood panels and other objects for the purpose of decorating this museum.

Upon his death in 1928, Ernest Cognacq’s art collection was donated to the city of Paris, and the museum officially opened just a year later in 1929.

As you walk around the museum and admire this grand collection of art, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported back to the 18th century, just as Cognacq and his wife envisioned.

Practical Info:
Address: 8 rue Elzévir 75003 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: €8 full rate | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum website.

17. Musée de Montmartre

The Musée de Montmartre is located on the Butte in Montmartre, a small hill surrounded by gardens and vineyards.

Originally built in the 17th century, the building was once called La Maison du Bel Air. It was a place where many famed French artists, such as Raoul Dufy and Auguste Renoir, came to create and find inspiration.

The museum features a permanent collection of posters and artwork that captures the spirit of the height of the 19th century art movement in Montmartre. You’ll also find a recreation of Suzanne Valadon’s atelier, a fantastic artist from the time and also the first female painter to be accepted into the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts.

Outside you’ll find three separate gardens, aptly named the Renoir gardens, where you can wander around and enjoy wonderful views of the vineyard and the city. If you prefer to only visit the garden without going into the museum, you can pay €5 instead of the full museum rate.

Practical Info:
Address: 12, Rue Cortot 75018 PARIS
Hours: Open everyday from 10:00am – 7:00pm
Tickets: €15 full rate | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum website.

18. Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

The Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, the Museum of Hunting and Nature, is one of the most unusual museums in Paris.

The museum is filled with weapons, taxidermy animals, and artwork depicting humans hunting for animals. The elegant setting of the museum seems contradictory to its focus, which is to explore the relationship between humans and animals and the history of hunting.

While it may seem like an unusual museum to be set in the heart of the Marais, it is most intriguing to walk around and explore, almost as if you’re wandering around an art collectors home.

If you’re curious about it, it’s definitely worth a stop during your time in Paris.

Practical Info:
Address: 62, rue des Archives, 75003 Paris
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00am – 6:00pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: €12.50 full rate | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum website.

19. Musée Nissim de Camondo

The Musée Nissim de Camondo is located next to one of the most beautiful parks in Paris, the Parc Monceau.

This small museum displays an incredible collection of 18th century masterpieces amassed by Comte Moïse de Camondo, a successful banker from Istanbul.

You’ll find significant artifacts, objects, and furniture from historical figures like Catherine the Great, Louis XV, and Louis XVI in ornately decorated rooms.

The museum is placed in the former home of Comte Moïse de Camondo and was designed to mimic the Petit Trianon in Versailles. The collection of artworks was intended to be given to his son, Nissim de Camondo. However, due to the outbreak of World War One, Nissim tragically died in battle, and the collection was turned into a museum in honor of Nissim.

We highly recommend visiting this museum if you are a lover of interior design, as it is a fabulous representation of 18th century art and design.

Practical Info:
Address: 63, rue de Monceau75008 Paris
Hours: Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am – 5:30pm (closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
Tickets: €12 full rate | Purchase tickets and find more info on the official museum website.

Our top 5 list of small museums in Paris: 

Since you most likely won’t have time to see 19 museums on your trip to Paris, here is our recommendation for the top 5 small museums to visit.

• Musée Rodin
• Musée de l’Orangerie
• Musée National Gustave Moreau
• Musée Bourdelle
• Atelier Brancusi

Small Museums in Paris Map

Here is a map of all of the small museums in Paris listed in this post. If you select the icon on the left with the arrow, you will see a list of all of the museums. Select which one you’d like to visit and the address will show up with more information.

Does the Paris Museum Pass include Small Museums?

The Paris Museum Pass is a fantastic way to visit many of the museums in Paris for a fraction of the price.

The pass includes access to 8 of the small museums listed in this article – Musée de Cluny, Musée Rodin, Musée de l’Orangerie, Musée Jean-Jacques Henner, Musée Eugène Delacroix, Musée Gustave Moreau, Musée Nissim de Camondo, and Musée Picasso.

In addition to these small museums in Paris, you’ll also have access to the larger museums in Paris like the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and Sainte-Chapelle.

You can find a full list of all of the museums included in the Paris Museum Pass here.

The prices for the pass vary depending on the number of days you’d like to use the pass. There are options for 2 days, 4 days, and 6 days. The prices are listed out below:

• 2 day Paris Museum Pass – €55 per person
• 4 day Paris Museum Pass – €70 per person
• 6 day Paris Museum Pass – €80 per person

You have two options for the pass – you can either book an electronic pass online or purchase a paper pass in person at one of the designated points.

If you plan to visit many museums on your visit to Paris, then we highly recommend getting the Paris Museum Pass. It will end up saving you a lot of money. Don’t forget to reserve your spot in advance for some of the bigger museums – time slots fill up fast.

Tips for your Museum Visits

• Most of the museums are typically free for anyone aged 18-years-old and younger. Make sure to double check this beforehand, so you aren’t surprised.
  
• Many of the small museums in Paris offer combined tickets with another museum. For example, you can buy a combined Musée Rodin and Musée d’Orsay ticket for cheaper than two full-priced tickets. Double check when you’re booking, so you don’t miss out on any offers.
  
• EU residents aged 18-25 are usually able to get in to most of the museums in Paris for free.
  
• Many museums offer free visits on the first Sunday of every month. If you’re visiting Paris during the first of the month, definitely take advantage of this to save some money.
  
• To ensure you get in, make sure to book a time slot for the museums that recommend doing so. In the “Practical Info” section under each museum, we’ve noted whether or not that museum recommends reserving in advance.