Many first-time visitors to Paris are overwhelmed by everything there is to see and do there. You can’t be a true art enthusiast and skip out on seeing the world-class museums in Paris. However, if you want to see EVERYTHING when you visit Paris’s major art galleries, you may remain there for quite some time. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the finest art galleries in Paris for your perusal.
France‘s capital is one of the world’s most culturally rich locations, especially in the realm of the visual arts. Even the most passionate art lover would struggle to see it all in one visit. Now that you know why you should read on, you can find out where to find the most well-known art galleries in Paris, as well as some lesser-known but as inspiring spots.
Top 9 art galleries in Paris
- The Louvre
- Musée d’Orsay
- Musée de l’Orangerie
- Musée Marmottan Monet
- Palais de Tokyo
- Centre Pompidou
- Galerie Kamel Mennour
- Perrotin
- Musee Jacquemart-Andre
The Louvre
The Louvre, one of the most popular museums in the world and one of the best art galleries in Paris, is located on the Right Bank of Paris, a little distance north of the westernmost point of the Île de la Cité. The museum’s collection includes works of art from ancient times until the middle of the nineteenth century.
In addition to the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, the museum also has works by many other great artists of the Italian Renaissance and the Flemish and Dutch Baroque.
The Louvre is a must-visit on any trip to Paris. Almost the course of over 11,000 years, the Louvre’s collection of artwork spans the whole history of human creativity.
The Louvre was a royal residence for two centuries until it was renovated and opened to the public as a museum. There is a lot to see at the Louvre, so if your visit is limited in time, it is recommended that you prioritize your sightseeing. It would take a whole day, or possibly many days, to see everything in this museum.
- Address: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France.
- Timings:
- Wednesday to Monday from 9 AM to 6 pm.
- Closed on Tuesdays.
Musée d’Orsay
Another one of Paris’s best art galleries is, without a doubt, Musée d’Orsay. Museum of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art (Musée d’Orsay) opened in 1986 in the former Beaux-Arts Orsay railway station and has a world-renowned collection.
The collection includes paintings and drawings by artists including Monet, Renoir, van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec, as well as Art Nouveau furnishings and sculptures from the 19th century. Even more impressive is the fact that it will be the fifteenth most popular art museum in the world in 2020. You may reward yourself with a cup of coffee in the museum’s café when you’ve finished looking around.
- Address: 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007 Paris, France.
- Timings:
- Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 6 PM.
- Closed on Mondays.
Musée de l’Orangerie
Musée de l’Orangerie is not only one of the best art galleries in Paris; but also one of France’s top museums. The Orangerie has finally re-emerged on the tourist map after years of restoration work. The museum’s eight tapestry-sized ‘Nymphéas’ (water lilies) paintings are displayed in two simple circular chambers, giving off a practical and unfussy vibe. They serve as a spare setting against which Monet’s late-career romantic masterpieces might shine.
The artist’s complete immersion in the private world of his garden is reflected in the deep, dreamlike aspect of the tableaux depicting the ‘Jardin d’eau’ outside his home in Giverny. Cézanne and Renoir portraits, as well as pieces by Modigliani, Rousseau, Matisse, Picasso, and Derain, may be seen below in the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume collection of Impressionism and the École de Paris. Massive pieces by each of these artists are on display, so there’s enough to see.
- Address: Jardin Tuileries, 75001 Paris, France.
- Timings:
- Wednesday to Monday from 9 AM to 6 PM.
- Closed on Tuesdays.
Musée Marmottan Monet
Musée Marmottan Monet is another top art gallery in Paris. After having served as a museum of Empire period art bequeathed to the state by collector Paul Marmottan, the former hunting pavilion has become well-known as a repository of works by the Impressionists thanks to two gifts: the first, from the daughter of the doctor who treated Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Sisley, and Renoir; the second, from Monet’s son, Michel. It has 165 paintings, sketches, palettes, and photographs by Monet, making it the greatest Monet collection in the world.
Upstairs you’ll find a collection of First Empire furniture, as well as paintings by Renoir, Manet, Gauguin, Caillebotte, and Berthe Morisot; works from the 15th century; a Sèvres clock; and a collection of primitives. Since Claude’s only son inherited the estate, it stands to reason that the collection is extensive, with Plenty of less well-known works as well. One for those that think like Monet. On your way out, stop at Bois de Boulogne for some more green space.
- Address: 2 Rue Louis Boilly, 75016 Paris, France.
- Timings:
- Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM.
- Closed on Mondays.
Palais de Tokyo
Many people, upon the Palais’s opening in 2002, took its sparse decor to be an intentional design choice. Actually, it was a solution to the problem of little funds. The 1937 structure has now come into its own as a multipurpose venue for exhibits and events thanks to its open layout and skylit center hall. There does have an amazing roster of modern artists, and the gallery is open later and has a cool café, so it has attracted a younger crowd (Pierre Joseph, Wang Du and others).
The name is a reference to the connections with a new wave of Asian painters that emerged at the Exposition Internationale of 1937. The gallery, which houses the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, is primarily devoted to modern and contemporary works of art in a wide range of media (Paris Museum of Modern Art). Make sure you visit this museum as it is one of the best art galleries in Paris.
- Address: 13 Av. du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris, France.
- Timings:
- Wednesday to Monday from 12 PM to 9 PM.
- Closed on Tuesdays.
Centre Pompidou
The Centre Pompidou is a popular attraction in Paris due to its bright primary colors and industrial architecture, including exposed pipes and air ducts. Pompidou, or Beaubourg as the locals call it, has Europe’s biggest collection of contemporary art, second only to New York’s Museum of Modern Art in terms of scope and caliber. Centre Pompidou is another top art gallery in Paris.
It was also ground-breaking to think of housing a contemporary art museum, library, exhibition and performance space, and movie theater all under one roof. Entrance is free (as is the library, which has its own entrance); however, using the escalators will cost you. For those interested in architecture, this is a great mix of styles from the outside.
- Address: Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France.
- Timings:
- Wednesday to Monday from 11 AM to 9 PM.
- Closed on Tuesdays.
Galerie Kamel Mennour
Galerie Kamel Mennour has lately become one of the best art galleries in Paris. After making waves in the St. Germain art scene with exhibitions by David LaChapelle, Ellen von Unwerth, and Larry Clark, as well as introducing newcomers Kader Attia and Adel Abdessemed, Mennour has relocated his gallery to these opulent quarters in a hôtel particulier to further cement his reputation.
Artists of different generations, such as Daniel Buren, Claude Lévêque, and Huang Yong Ping, have recently shown their work. This area is quickly developing into something of a modern powerhouse. More than forty artists are represented by the gallery, which has four locations in close proximity to one another in Paris and one in London.
- Address: 47 Rue Saint-André des Arts, 75006 Paris, France.
- Timings:
- Tuesday to Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM.
- Closed on Sunday and Monday.
Musee Jacquemart-Andre
Another one of Paris’s best art galleries is Musee Jacquemart-Andre. Visitors to this large 19th-century palace, which houses an amazing collection of objets d’art and great paintings, are greeted by a pair of stone lions before they ascend the long terrace stairs. Edouard André and his artist wife Nélie Jacquemart put it together with money from his wealthy banking family’s inheritance.
Their collection, which includes works by Rembrandt, Tiepolo, and the Italian artists Uccello, Mantegna, and Carpaccio, required a custom-built palace. The fashionable lunch crowd loves the neighboring tearoom, which serves exquisite tottering cakes. The inside, including the art and furnishings, is stunning. When you’re done, you may walk to a variety of destinations; if you take a leisurely stroll in a straight line for a while, the Arc de Triomphe, a famous Paris landmark, will appear before you.
- Address: 158 Bd Haussmann, 75008 Paris, France.
- Timings: every day from 10 AM to 6 PM.
Perrotin
Artist Emmanuel Perrotin entered the competitive art gallery scene in 1990. There are now Perrotins in several major Asian cities, including Paris, New York City, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. The new Parisian establishment has moved into a classy hôtel particulier in the Marais neighborhood. While he already had a gallery in Hong Kong and a glossy magazine, he has just joined the design bandwagon by hosting exhibitions by Robert Stadler and Eric Benqué, making him one of the most influential people in the city.
He includes the revolutionary Austrian collective Gelitin with the eccentric Japanese group of Takashi Murakami, Mariko Mori, et al., and the major French names of Sophie Calle, Xavier Veilhan, Prix Marcel Duchamp winner Tatiana Trouvé, and Bernard Frize. There are many interesting sights to take in. PERROTIN PARIS is one of the best art galleries you get to visit in Paris.
- Address: 76 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris, France.
- Timings: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM. Closed on Sunday and Monday.