Best museums in Paris

Paris, the City of love and lights, has many wonderful things to boast of. From exquisite fashion, fantastic Parisian cuisine to more simpler elegant things as cobblestoned streets and its unique Cafe culture. The place indeed has something for every gallivanter.

The capital city also won't disappoint you on the one thing that is a constant on every travel itinerary without exception. Yes, the incredible museums. The landscape being rich in history, art and culture prides itself over a hundred museums within the city and suburbs. While it will be impossible to cover all of these in a single visit (a second or even a third trip!), you can still aim to cover the best and make the most of your itinerary.

Here we have compiled a list of the finest ones, to make your choice a little easier. Bon, voyage! We left out The Louvre because we made a full complete guide on visiting the Louvre museum that you can read here.

1) L'Atelier des Lumières

This is Paris's first digital museum of fine art. It consists of a fine blend of art and digital technology to offer a unique immersive art experience. The place appeals to young and old alike with its state-of-the-art 3D visuals and one of a kind motion design sound system. Works by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Friedrich Stowasser (Hundertwasser) along with those of emerging artists and digital installations (Le Studio) are exhibited. This museum is also included in our list of unusual things to do in Paris.

Fare: €15 Location: 38 rue Saint Maur How to get there

By metro: 9-Voltaire, Saint-Ambroise, 3-Rue Saint-Maur, and 2-Père Lachaise lines
By bus: 46 56 61 et 69 On weekends: booking online only Opening times: From Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm. Late night opening on Fridays and Saturdays until 10 pm and Sundays until 7 pm

2) Centre Pompidou

Fare: €14, tickets can be booked online as well Location: Place Georges Pompidou How to get there

By metro: Rambuteau (line 11), Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11), Châtelet (lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14)
By bus: 29, 38, 47, 75 Opening times: every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (exhibition areas close at 9 p.m.) except Tuesdays and 1st of May. Thursdays until 11 p.m. (only exhibitions on level 6). Ticket offices shut one hour before closing time

3) Musée Rodin

Fares: €12. Tickets can be bought online Location: 77 rue de Varenne How to get there

By metro: Varenne (line 13) or Invalides (line 13, line 8)
By bus : 69, 82, 87, 92 Opening times: open daily, except Mondays. Museum, garden, and shop open from 10 am to 5:45 pm. Last tickets sold at 5:15 pm

4) Musee de l'Orangerie

Fare: €9, tickets can be booked online Location: Tuileries Garden (Seine side) Place de la Concorde How to get there

By metro: Lines 1, 8, 12
By bus: 42, 52, 73, 84,94, 24, 72 Opening times: Open from 9 am to 6 pm every day except Tuesday. Last access is at 5:15 pm

5) Grand Palais

The grand nave, 240 m long, welcomes a wide variety of major national and international events like horse riding, contemporary art, fairground, and ice skating. The national galleries organize large-scale exhibitions on artists such as Picasso, Hopper, and Renoir. The Palais de la Découverte is a museum and cultural center dedicated to science, where children can learn whilst having fun, through permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. All in all it is a good place to visit with family and kids. The majestic interior of this site is something that cannot be missed.

Fare: Varies according to exhibitions and events Location: 3, avenue du General Eisenhower How to get there

By metro: lines 1, 9, 13 / Stations: Franklin-D.-Roosevelt, Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau
By bus: 28, 42, 52, 63, 72, 73, 80, 83, 93 Opening times: depends on the exhibitions and events, Tuesdays closed

The main building might remain closed owing to renovation works. It is recommended to check opening times before visiting.

6) Musee Jacquemart-Andre

Fare: €16, tickets can be bought online Location: 158-Boulevard Haussmann How to get there

By metro: Lines 9 and 13, Saint-Augustin, Miromesnil or Saint-Philippe du Roule stations
By bus: Lines 22, 43, 52, 54, 28, 80, 83, 84, 93 Opening times: Every day, from 10h to 18h. Until 8.30pm on Mondays during the exhibition period.

7) Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (or MaM)

Fares: Access to permanent collections is free. For special exhibitions, tickets can be bought online. The tickets cost from 5€ to 12€ depending on the exhibition Location: 11, avenue du Président Wilson How to get there

By subway: line 9, Alma-Marceau or Iéna
By bus: 32 (Iéna), 42 (Alma-Marceau), 72 (Musée d'Art moderne), 80 (Alma-Marceau), 82 (Iéna) et 92 (Alma-Marceau) Opening times: from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm (last admission 5:15 pm), evening opening for exhibitions only on Thursday until 10 pm (last admission 9:15 pm). Closed on Mondays and public holidays

8) Petit Palais

Paintings, sculptures, and other mediums from Ancient Greece, the Classical World featuring Roman artworks (1st to 4th century), Renaissance artifacts and books, Western and European art (17th -19th centuries) form part of the permanent collection. A new gallery of sculptures was introduced recently. The best thing of all: the permanent collection at the Petit Palais is free for all.

Fare: Free admission to the permanent collections. Admission charge for temporary exhibitions Location: Avenue Winston Churchill How to get there

By metro: lines 1 and 13, Champs-Elysées Clemenceau station
By bus: 28, 42, 72, 73,83, 93 Opening times: open daily from 10 am to 6 pm except for Mondays and public holidays. Ticket office closes at 5:15 pm

9) Musée d'Orsay

This is one of the best museums in France. Also, it was voted the world's best museum in the latest TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice awards for museums around the world.

Fare: €14, tickets can be bought online Location: 1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur How to get there

By metro: line 12, to Solférino
By bus: 24, 63, 68, 69, 73, 83, 84, 94 Opening times: opens from 9:30 am to 6 pm every day except Thursdays when it closes at 9:45 pm. Closed on Mondays

Which museum do you want to visit?

And while in Paris, why not travel like a local? Here is our guide on 12 tips to enjoy Paris like a local.