Paris is known for many things—its landmarks, its food, and its fashion. While each of these categories are enough to warrant a visit in themselves, when we’re in Paris, our favorite thing to do is explore all of the city’s incredible museums. From art to history to science and technology, the City of Light has some of the best museums in the world, housing artworks and artifacts created by some of France’s renowned artists and thinkers. You could spend weeks exploring them all, but if you’ve only got a short time planned in the city, there are a few we definitely recommend visiting:
Musée des Arts et Métiers
The name of this museum literally translates to “arts and crafts,” but it’s actually more of a science museum. It’s filled with antique instruments used for industrial design and exhibits exploring mechanics, construction, and transportation. It’s even home to some of the world’s first airplanes!
The Louvre
Would a list of museums in Paris really be complete without The Louvre? The Louvre is the largest and most recognizable art museum in the world. It’s home to the famous Mona Lisa along with 35,000 other works. The average visitor stays for about 2-3 hours, but serious art lovers could spend days exploring it all.
Musée d’Orsay
Those with an interest in history and architecture should be sure to spend some time in this Left Bank museum. The museum is located in the Gare d’Orsay, a former train station built in the late 1800s, and is home to many works by French artists such as Monet and Renoir.