Paris is not only the city of lights or the city of love, but also an unmissable destination for art lovers. The city owns countless museums, galleries and open-air art spaces, from classic masterpieces to innovative contemporary works.
Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)
The Louvre is one of the world's most famous art museums. Originally built as a military fortress in the late 12th century, it later became a residence for French royalty and was converted into a museum in 1793. Every day, thousands of visitors line up to get inside to admire its priceless works of art.
In the Egyptian section, there are more than 50,000 artifacts, including the Pacheri mummy from the Ptolemaic period (305 BC - 30 BC). The Mesopotamian section features two giant lamassu statues from the 8th century BC, mentioned in the epic of Gilgamesh. In the Apollo room, the French royal jewelry, including the diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire crown of King Louis XV, shines brightly. Not to be missed is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, now on display in a separate room.
- Address: Rue de Rivoli, Paris
- Tour time: 6 - 8 hours
- Ticket price: €22 (about 630,000 VND)
Orsay Museum (Musée d'Orsay)
Housed in a former railway station built for the Paris Exposition of 1900, the Musée d'Orsay houses masterpieces of 19th-century art. The highlight of the building is the giant clock that once belonged to the station.
The museum’s collection includes Édouard Manet’s Olympia, a controversial painting of a nude woman, Auguste Clésinger’s marble sculpture Woman Bitten by a Serpent, and works by Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and other Impressionists. The museum also hosts special exhibitions from time to time, offering new perspectives on 19th-century art.
- Address: Esplanade Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Paris
- Tour time: 4 - 5 hours
- Ticket price: €11 - €16 (about 310,000 - 450,000 VND)
Quai Branly Museum (Musée du Quai Branly)
Located near the Eiffel Tower, the Quai Branly Museum showcases indigenous and non-Western art. The area around the museum has a typical old Parisian feel with winding cobblestone streets and small cafes.
The museum is particularly impressive for its exhibits on the impact of colonialism on indigenous art and culture. The collections depict Aztec society before and after Spanish colonization, with paintings depicting the class hierarchy established by the Europeans. The museum also displays art from French colonies in the Caribbean, African masks, vudo artifacts, Iranian ceramics, and exorcism masks from Sri Lanka.
- Address: 37 Quai Jacques Chirac, Paris
- Tour time: 2 - 3 hours
- Ticket price: €11 - €14 (about 310,000 - 400,000 VND)
Dali Museum Paris (Dali Paris)
Located in the Montmartre neighborhood, the Dali Museum in Paris is the largest private collection of Salvador Dali's work. The area is surrounded by street artists, open-air art stalls, and the sweet scent of crepe stands.
The museum features many of Dali’s most notable works, including a model of melting clocks – a famous symbol in his paintings. Also not to be missed are the watercolor tarot cards, and the Venus de Milo with Drawers – a special version of the Venus statue, with drawers added to the body to express Dali’s obsession with the subconscious.
- Address: 11 Rue Poulbot, Paris
- Visit time: 1 - 2 hours
- Ticket price: €11 - €16 (about 310,000 - 450,000 VND)
Explore Montmartre
Montmartre is not only famous for the Dali Museum in Paris but also a neighborhood rich in art and history.
The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is the highest point in Paris, offering panoramic views of the city. It was built in the 19th century and houses the largest bell in France, measuring 3 metres in diameter and weighing 18,800 kg.
While walking around Montmartre, visitors can come across many works of street art, including video game-style mosaics by artist Invader (Franck Slama), a giant mural of the painter Toulouse-Lautrec, or the Moulin de la Galette windmill, which appeared in a painting by Van Gogh.
Montmartre Cemetery is the resting place of many famous artists such as Edgar Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec and Jean Bauchet - owner of the Moulin Rouge theater.
Another great experience is a night of music at the Moulin Rouge Cabaret. While it may no longer be the same 1889 cabaret Toulouse-Lautrec depicted in his Moulin Rouge, the venue still retains its magnificent stage and performance space.
