Notre-Dame interior
Go to Paris for the Eiffel Tower, the food, the fashion, its inimitable French people. And go for the museums, too!
Paris has more than 60 museums and monuments, including art museums and royal residences, Napoleonic epics and science and technology. Visiting these museums offers an inside look at French history and culture and even more, as you can also explore European and world history throughout the ages. Here are a few well-known sites, as well as a few lesser known, to whet your appetite for a Paris museum vacation!
The Arc de Triomphe is a monument to Napoleon’s achievements and fame. It was commissioned by the Emperor to commemorate his military victories and honor the fallen soldiers of his campaigns. A tour of the Arc ends on a rooftop terrace where you can enjoy stunning views of of the city, including the Champs-Elysees.
The Musee de Louvre holds one of the world’s premier collections of Western art from the Middle Ages to 1848. You will also find items from ancient civilizations, as well as Islamic, Oceanic, North and South American, and Asian art.
The Musee d’Orsay is in the train station building built for the 1900 World’s Fair by architect Victor Laloux. Art from 1848 to 1914 is featured, including works by artists like Cezanne, Degas, Manet, Money, Renoir, and van Gogh.
The famous Notre-Dame cathedral is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture and is the setting of Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Visitors can climb the 400 steps of the bell tower and hear the bourdon ring as Quasimodo did!
The Basilique Cathedrale de Saint-Denis is the home of the tombs of French royalty, including 42 kings, 32 queens, and 63 princes and princesses. The site features so many stained gladd windows it was nicknamed Lucerna (the lantern), and also features exquisite funerary sculptures.
For fans of fashion, the Espaces Mode et Textile offers exhibitions of fashion, textiles, and accessories from the 17th century to present.
Musee des Egouts de Paris
The Musee de Egouts de Paris shows you a side of Paris you might not otherwise see: it is a history of water and mains drainage, including a stop at the heart of the sewerage network.
The Musee de l’Air de l’Espace is located at Europe’s largest business airport, Paris-Le Bourget. It holds one of the world’s finest collections of aircraft, including spacecraft, the Concorde, and the Ariane rocket family. There is also a new children’s area with a sit-in cockpit!
Find all the information you need about Paris museums at the Paris Museum Pass website. You can purchase a multi-day pass to allow you to visit as many of these amazing sites as possible! This pass allows you to skip to the front of the line, saving you time, and can be used at the same location more than once.
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