PARIS BEYOND THE LOUVRE : 3 HIDDEN MUSEUMS WORTH DISCOVERING

Whenever I’m in Paris, I’m the first to head straight for the Louvre. It’s one of the most comprehensive museums in the world, with more than 30,000 works on display in 9 departments, ranging from Oriental, Greek and Egyptian antiquities to more modern collections of paintings and sculptures. But the Louvre is often overcrowded, being the most visited museum in the world, even with the introduction of time slots.

Although I recommend visiting the Louvre at least once in a lifetime during a stay in Paris, the city is full of other museums that are also worth a visit, offering a more pleasant experience due to their lower visitor numbers.

Today, I propose three alternatives to the Louvre, each covering a specific aspect of the world’s most famous museum.

MUSEUM OF THE BNF RICHELIEU – for its antique and manuscript collection

In the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF) houses fabulous collections of medieval and Enlightenment period manuscripts, as well as more modern works, on display in the somptuous Galerie Mazarin, with its vaulted ceilings covered in frescoes painted in the 17th century by Italian artists.

These include the first impressions of philosophical texts such as René Descartes’ “Discours de la méthode”, as well as emblematic literary works such as the “Roman de Fauvel”, a 14th-century satirical poem criticizing the Capetian monarchy, and the manuscript of Émile Zola’s “Germinal”, which deals with the working-class condition in 19th-century France.

The library also possesses a fine numismatic collection housed in the Cabinet des Médailles. Here you’ll find treasures of Gallic, Greek, Roman, Oriental and foreign coins, as well as Greek ceramics and antique silverware, including an impressive collection of silver objets d’art. Finally, it offers a research and reading area in the Salle Ovale, open to all, free of charge. Completed less than a century ago, this is an impressive space in terms of its dimension, decoration and the multitude of resources available to visitors.

Practical information

• Opening times : 10h – 20h every day. Closed on Monday
• Admission: – 26 years EU citizens free | €10 full price | Free for all on the first Sunday of the Month.
• Access: 5, rue Vivienne, Paris 75002 more information

HOTEL DE LA MARINE – for its richly decorated and restored rooms

The Hotel de la Marine is little-known due to its recent opening to the general public in 2021. It is well positioned on the famous Place de la Concorde making it one of the most accessible museums to visit in Paris. And it was also my favorite during my trip to Paris for the 2024 Olympics.

What is particularly appealing, beyond the visit, was the immersive experience offered with the purchase of tickets. You are given a headset, which activates automatically each time you enter a new room, immersing you in the atmosphere of the apartments of the Crown’ Intendants. Don’t miss the loggia, with its panoramic balcony overlooking Place de la Concorde and a clear view of the Eiffel Tower.

The Hôtel de la Marine also present in a very intimate setting, the ‘Al Thani collection’, an ensemble of Renaissance treasures that “celebrates the richness of human creativity and the universal power of art through the ages”. The exhibition brings together some of the finest pieces of art I’ve ever seen, including a perfectly preserved marble bust of the Emperor Hadrian, complemented by a torso made in Venice in the 16th century, as well as finely engraved glass pieces and exceptional jewelry.

Practical information

• Opening times : 10h30 – 19h (21h30 on Fridays) every day.
• Admission: – 26 years EU citizens free | €13 full price | Free for all on the first Sunday of the Month.
• Access: 2 place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris more information

I went as soon as it opened at around 10:30 am, which enabled me to take some very nice photos without the crowds.

RODIN MUSEUM – for its collection of statues in a beautiful hôtel particulier

Located in the Hôtel particulier de Biron, a stone’s throw from Les Invalides in the quiet 7th arrondissement of Paris, the museum showcases the life’s work of Auguste Rodin, as well as some of the creations of his friends, and his muse and companion, Camille Claudel.

The visit begins with a stroll through the sculpture garden surrounding the mansion, where you can discover – in an attractive green setting – some of the artist’s most famous works, such as “Le Penseur”, or one of the two versions of “La Porte de l’Enfer”, from which his most famous sculptures are derived.

The tour continues inside the house, where intimate rooms display sculptures in white marble, bronze, onyx and plaster. I was particularly moved by the sculpture “The Kiss”, depicting an embracing couple, Francesca and Paolo, the adulterous couple cursed with Hell, inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. The woman seems desperately clinging to her lover in a final embrace, and the sculpture’s exhibition frame, throning in the center of the room, adds a very touching theatrical dimension.

Practical information

• Opening times : Tuesday to Sunday, 10h to 18h30
• Admission : – 26 years old EU citizens free | €14 euros full price | Free for all on the first Sunday of the Month.
• Access : 77 rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris more information

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For those seeking experiences off the beaten track, I have created a short guide to places in Paris that don’t seem to be in Paris — places where, as soon as you set foot in them, you feel like you’re abroad… or perhaps coming home.