A compact, independent introduction to six very different cultural places around Paris: royal rooms, Impressionist canvases, modern art, sculpture and gardens. Start with what you want to discover, then use each museum's official site to plan the visit.
These introductions focus on what makes each place distinct. For opening times, tickets, access arrangements and current exhibitions, follow the official link on the museum page before travelling.
A former royal palace whose galleries bring together ancient objects, European painting, sculpture and decorative arts. The Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and Winged Victory are only a small part of its vast collection.
Explore the Louvre guide
A former railway station turned museum, with a collection that follows art from the mid-19th century to the early 20th. Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works sit within a broader artistic story.
Explore the Orsay guide
A former royal residence experienced across palace rooms, formal gardens, parkland and smaller Trianon residences. The Hall of Mirrors is famous, but the estate's scale is part of its story.
Explore the Versailles guide
Known for its exposed structure and services, the Centre Pompidou brings modern art, architecture, library and music research into one cultural story. Its Paris building is closed during renovation; check official updates.
Explore the Pompidou guide
Set beside the Tuileries Garden, the museum is best known for Monet's Water Lilies: eight monumental panels arranged across two oval rooms, with a further collection downstairs.
Explore the Orangerie guide
The Hôtel Biron galleries and sculpture garden offer two ways to encounter Rodin's work. The Thinker and The Gates of Hell connect individual works to the sculptor's larger practice.
Explore the Rodin guideUse the guide to decide what you want to see; confirm changing practical details directly with each institution.
Compare an encyclopedic collection, 19th-century painting, modern art, royal history, sculpture or a quieter encounter with Monet.
Each introduction explains the collection and setting first. Official museum pages are the source for current hours, tickets and accessibility arrangements.
Learn why the former railway station matters at Orsay, how the Tuileries setting shapes the Orangerie, or what to notice in Rodin's sculpture garden.
Use our museum-by-museum starting points, then confirm transport, ticket rules and temporary closures with the institution before setting out.
Prefer a broad survey of art and archaeology? Begin with the Louvre. Looking for a focused first visit? Compare the Orangerie, Rodin and Orsay guides.
Start with the Louvre