There are over one hundred museums to visit in Paris, but how many have you visited? Not very surprisingly, the Louvre and Orsay museums dominate the landscape here, but if you only visited those two, you’d be missing some real gems. On this week’s podcast episode, we are discussing the most underrated Paris museums beyond the Louvre.
The podcast episode
Listen below, or wherever you get your podcasts.
You’ll notice that we only discuss the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 10th and 18th arrondissements. For Members – we have put together a comprehensive list, which covers the best museum in all 20 arrondissements. Would you like access to the whole list? Sign up on Patreon and Substack to unlock that and many other extras.
2nd arrondissement – Bibliothèque Nationale Richelieu
The Richelieu wing of the Bibliothèque Nationale takes up an entire block in the second arrondissement of Paris. The buildings have a rich history spanning centuries, and passing through various owners. In the 19th century, the site was consolidated to form the National Library of France. Inside is a treasure trove of libraries, museums and galleries, which house more than 22 million objects and documents, from a rare copy of the Gutenberg bible to an original manuscript of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. We had a great time when we visited recently. Simply magnificent. Address: 5 Rue Vivienne, 75002
More to find in the 2nd arrondissement.
3rd arrondissement – Musée Carnavalet
The Musée Carnavalet is dedicated to the history of Paris. It reopened in June 2022 after years of renovations and it looks incredible. It’s free to enter and the canteen in the beautiful courtyard is picture perfect. Not to be missed – the old shop signs in the entry hall and the entire preserved Art Nouveau shop. Address: 23 Rue de Sevigné, 75003
More to find in the 3rd arrondissement.
8th arrondissment – Musée Jacquemart André
This is a huge and elegant hôtel particulier (aristocratic mansion) on the Boulevard Haussmann. Just the house is a spectacular artwork itself. There’s a beautiful interior courtyard and staircase that showcases a fresco that’ll stop you in your tracks. Then, the place is full of interesting furniture and Italian art. The collection was privately put together by wealthy banker, politician and collector Édouard André (1833–1894) and his wife Nélie Jacquemart. Bertrand, from My Private Paris, explains why this museum means so much to him, “It’s the result of a life dedicated to collecting art and I am very passionate about this.” Address: 158 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris
More to find in the 8th arrondissement.
10th arrondissement – Musée des Moulages
This place isn’t for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, as Sam Davies and I discovered. A museum full of thousands of casts of dermatological lesions, located in one of the oldest hospitals in Paris. It was opened at the same time as the Eiffel Tower, for the same World’s Fair, but pretty much unknown, even to locals (as you’ll hear on this week’s podcast). Open during the week and entry is by appointment only. Address: 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010.
More to find in the 10th arrondissement
18th arrondissement – Musée de Montmartre
This museum is inside one of the oldest buildings in Montmartre – La Maison de Bel Air. As impressive as the museum is, the gardens out back are even more beautiful. Famously, artists like Renoir, Suzanne Valadon and Maurice Utrillo had their studios here. If these walls could talk… Address: 12 Rue Cortot, 75018
More to find in the 18th arrondissement.
And that’s it, folks! Hopefully, there were some discoveries and surprises for you, amongst the old-faithful museums. If you’re planning a Paris trip, you should check out our PDF guide to the city, which features hundreds of tips just like these ones. You can buy it via the icon below, or you get it free on signup to The Earful Tower’s Patreon member page.
This season of The Earful Tower is brought to you by the award-winning travel company My Private Paris, which specialises in tours in Paris, day trips outside Paris, and travel itineraries. See what they offer here.
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So much beauty in Paris and I do hope to return to visit your museums.