Last Updated: August 4, 2023
Famous Museums In France (Visit or Skip It?)
Wondering which museums to see in France?
France has birthed some of the most famous artists and performers on the planet, and both France and Paris are home to some of world’s best museums. But with dozens of French museums in nearly every neighborhood, how do you choose between them?
This guide to the best museums in France will help you figure out which French museums you should visit and which you can skip. The best art museums in Paris, collections of French culture, and even weapons from the world war – read on to see all the most popular museums in France, and start creating an itinerary!
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Louvre Museum
France is home to quite a few famous museums, but none are quite as famous as the Louvre. The famous Paris museum is also the most-visited museum in the entire world – it was managing to pull in between 9 and 10 million visitors annually before the pandemic, and it remained the most visited museum in the world even in 2020 when it was shut down for months.
Louvre Museum is famous for quite a few things – its location in one of the best neighborhoods in Paris, the glass pyramid exterior, the long lines that are common if you don’t get the Paris city pass, and the iconic artworks inside it. It’s also the largest museum in the world, occupying a space of 72,735 square meters.
The Mona Lisa is undoubtedly the most famous painting inside this museum, but it’s far from being the only masterpiece in the Louvre. The art museum is also home to The Raft of the Medusa, The Wedding at Cana, Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading People, and thousands of other famous artworks.
It’s estimated that there are around 38,000 works of art and other objects dating from prehistory to modern times on display at the Louvre at any given time. No matter when you visit the French capital, the Louvre is always going to be one of the first places to visit in Paris!
Galerie Tapiezo
Galerie Tapiezo is an art gallery in Roussillon. It’s a must for anyone who is visiting the French Provence and wishes to see some truly unique art while they’re there. It’s undisputedly the best art gallery in the province, run by none other than the French artist Tapiezo himself.
The famous abstract artist interacts with all his customers, and he even encourages them to touch and feel his art. His unique approach is very personal, and it allows you to discover art in a different way. If you’re looking to add some unique pieces to your personal collection, this is by far the best gallery in France for abstract and modern art.
Tapiézo creates most of his art with materials that are found in the region of Roussillon, which just makes his artworks some of the best souvenirs you can bring home from France. Not only will they forever remind you of the amazing trip, but they’re also a great conversation starter.
The pieces are all unique, which makes them even more special. It is also worth noting that Tapiézo doesn’t create just paintings. There are all sorts of artworks in this fabulous gallery, and even some of the paintings are created by using unusual objects, with an emphasis on their texture.
Musée de L’Armée
Musee de L’Armee is a popular museum in Les Invalides in Paris. It’s also known as the Army Museum, and it’s the national military museum of France. The national museum boasts seven spaces that are full of exhibits that detail the French war history, spanning from the period of antiquity to the 20th century.
People who are generally interested in history and wars will absolutely love their time in this museum. And, even if you’re not really that into medieval weapons and amours, the museum’s collection is so interesting that you will at the very least have a pretty good time.
Some of the highlights of the Army Museum’s collection include weapons from the medieval and renaissance period, an entire department dedicated to the two world wars, The Charles de Gaulle Monument, exhibits on the French army, and many others.
Perhaps the most iconic attraction of this popular Parisian museum is the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte. The famous French military leader is buried in Dôme des Invalides, and a classic museum ticket will grant you access to his tomb.
Palace of Versailles
Just some 12 miles west of Paris you will find the Palace of Versailles – the iconic former royal palace that is today one of the most famous museums in the entire country of France.
It’s estimated that the popular royal palace and its gardens get some 15 million visitors every year, which makes them some of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.
The palace gardens are the most popular attraction on the grounds, but they’re certainly not the only attraction worth visiting. You should also make time for the Royal Apartments, the Royal Opera of Versailles, the impressive Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Chapel, and many others!
Musée du Quai Branly
Musée du Quai Branly is a unique art museum in Paris. It’s the fourth most popular museum in France, best known for its incredible collection of indigenous art from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
The collection of this interesting museum includes more than a million objects relating to the art and culture of these places, with some 3,5000 objects on display at any given time.
A section of the museum’s collection is also on display at the Louvre, so technically you don’t even have the visit Musée du Quai Branly if you want to admire some unique art.
It’s worth noting that there is some controversy surrounding the museum’s collection. It includes artifacts that were obtained by the museum through colonial conquest, and there is a rising demand for those artifacts to be repatriated.
Controversies aside, the museum provides a fascinating insight into other cultures, and it’s certainly worth a visit if you’re looking to explore a different kind of museum in France.
Musée d’Orsay
Musée d’Orsay is a popular art museum in Paris, situated in the former Gare d’Orsay railway station. It boasts a collection of mostly French art from the 19th and 20th centuries, which includes paintings, photographs, sculptures, and furniture created by some of the most renowned artists who have ever existed.
Musée d’Orsay is also home to quite a few post-impressionist and greatest impressionist masterpieces, which is why some people argue that it’s even better than the Louvre!
It’s one of the largest and most beautiful museums in Europe, and it’s certainly worth your time if you’re searching for the best museums in France.
Some of the most famous artists whose works are displayed at this museum include Van Gogh, Manet, Degas, Renoir, and many others.
Musée d’Orsay is also one of the largest art museums in Europe, as well as the second most popular museum in France – right after the Louvre.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen is a popular art museum in Rouen, Normandy. It was established in 1801, by none other than Napoleon Bonaparte, and to this day it remains one of the best and most popular museums in Normandy.
The museum’s collection includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, and various other artworks that date from the Renaissance period to the modern day. This even includes a selection of Russian icons dated between the 15th and 19th centuries, as well the Depeaux collection of various impressionist artworks.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen houses paintings from several of the European schools of art, which date between the 16th century to modern-day. These include artworks by Veronese, Rubens, Caravaggio, Boucher, Guardi, Degas, Monet, Duchamp, Pinchon, and many other notable European artists.
Musee National d’Art Moderne
Musée National d’Art Moderne – or the National Museum of Modern Art – is one of the best museums in Paris. The contemporary art museum boasts one of the largest collections of contemporary art in the world, which includes works by Matisse, Kandinsky, Metzinger, Picasso, and many other famous artists.
Only the MoMA in New York City has a larger modern art collection, so it’s easy to see why this French museum is so popular. Its exhibits often rotate, so that the museum can showcase the depth and variety of its enormous collection.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that the museum has displayed various temporary exhibits at the Centre Pompidou-Metz, which is its provincial branch.
Musée Rodin
Musée Rodin is a popular museum in Paris dedicated to the artworks of French sculptor Auguste Rodin. But the museum doesn’t showcase just the works of the famous artist – it also displays Rodin’s entire art collection, which he donated to the French state under the condition that they open a museum dedicated to his works.
It’s worth noting that Musée Rodin has two different sites. One is Hôtel Biron and its surrounding grounds, and the other one is a little outside Paris, in the sculptor’s old home – Villa des Brilliants in Meudon municipality.
The collection of this popular museum includes 8,000 drawings, 6,600 sculptures, 8,000 photographs, and around 7,000 various other art objects.
It contains some of Rodin’s most famous sculptures, such as The Thinker, The Gates of Hell, and The Kiss, but also artworks by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Most of Rodin’s sculptures are displayed in the museum’s vast garden, and some sculptures are even displayed at the Varenne metro stop that services the museum!
Centre Pompidou
Centre Pompidou is a large complex in Paris’ 4th arrondissement, which houses several important buildings. It’s home to the Public Information Library, Musée National d’Art Moderne, and IRCAM, which is a center for acoustic research and music.
We’ve already mentioned Musée National d’Art Moderne, which is the absolute largest center for promoting contemporary art in entire Europe. It’s also the most popular building in the complex, attracting about ⅔ of all people who visit the center.
Additionally, it’s important to note that the complex isn’t famous just for the buildings that it houses. Centre Pompidou is also famous for its high-tech architecture, which was designed by an architectural team comprising Renzo Piano, Su Rogers, Richard Rogers, and Gianfranco Franchini.
Musée de l’Orangerie
Musée de l’Orangerie is one of Paris’ best art galleries. It’s situated in Tuileries Gardens, right next to the Place de la Concorde. Although there are many famous post-impressionist and impressionist artworks in this famous gallery, it’s best known for being home to Monet’s mural of eight big Water Lilies.
Other notable exhibits in this famous Parisian gallery include the collection of Paul Guillaume and Jean Walter. These were so important for the museum that, upon acquiring them, they knocked down the existing galleries in order to add two new levels to the building.
On top of that, Musée de l’Orangerie also boasts a prominent collection of art from the early 20th century, which includes artworks by famous artists such as Braque, Picasso, Soutine, and Modigliani.
This popular gallery often hosts temporary special exhibitions, so there’s always a chance to see something new and impressive in it, no matter how many times you’ve already visited it.
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille is a famous museum in Lille, as well as one of the largest art museums in France. It was also one of the first museums that were built in the country, at the behest of Napoleon I.
The museum is dedicated to antiquities, fine arts, and modern art, and it boasts a huge collection that includes artworks by some of the most renowned artists in the world. This includes works by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, El Greco, Goya, Rubens, Rodin, and many other famous artists.
Map of Famous French Museums
About the Author Anna Timbrook
Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.
