Beaubourg-Centre Georges Pompidou—The Beaubourg opened in 1977 amidst a whirlwind of controversy—the building appears as if it had been turned inside out, with its pipes, wires and girders visible. This bizarre, colorful and somehow beautiful building continues to house an excellent permanent collection of 20th-century art. With a nearly US$70 million renovation now complete, the museum has a fresh new look, lots of light and a trendy restaurant named George on the sixth floor. Galerie Sud, on the south side of the museum, houses temporary exhibits, while the fountain on Place Igor Stravinsky contains dozens of animated surreal sculptures. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday noon-10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-10 pm. Free for children age 17 or younger. Rue Rambuteau (4th). Phone 01-4478-1233.
Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art—Funded by the famous Cartier jewelry company, this collection of work by more than 800 contemporary artists is housed in a US$18 million home in the outskirts of Paris. The permanent exhibit has been installed, including such artists as Gilbert and George, Claude Viallat and Shirley Jaffe. Tuesday-Sunday noon-8 pm, Thursday till 10 pm. Free for children age 9 or younger. 261 Blvd. Raspail (14th). Phone 01-4218-5667.
Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie (Science and Industry Museum)—Set amidst gardens and playgrounds in Parc de la Villette, this museum features interactive exhibits on space technology, computers, astronomy and marine biology. One of the main attractions is the excellent planetarium. The museum also includes the Cite des Enfants, which has hands-on exhibits geared to children ages 3-5 and 6-12. Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Sunday till 7 pm. Free for children age 6 or younger. 30 Ave. Corentin Cariou (19th). Phone 01-4005-7223. For reservations, phone 01-4005-1212.
Galerie National du Jeu de Paume—Formerly the site of a tennis court, built by Napoleon III. When tennis became less fashionable, it was used to exhibit art. Its stunning collection of impressionist art was moved to the Musee d'Orsay in 1986. Now the museum houses contemporary art. Tuesday noon-9:30 pm, Wednesday-Friday noon-7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-7 pm. Free for children age 12 or younger. Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde (1st). Phone 01-4703-1250.
Institut du Monde Arabe—Founded in 1980, this contemporary take on Arab architecture has photo-sensitive windows that regulate the flow of light into the building. The museum houses both temporary and permanent collections of art representative of the Arab world. Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm. Free for children age 11 or younger. 1 Rue des Fossees St. Bernard (5th). Phone 01-4051-3838.
Musee d'Art et Histoire du Judaisme—One of Paris' newer museums is housed in a 17th-century mansion in the Marais. Exhibits trace the history of Jews in France, Europe and North Africa from the Middle Ages to the present day. Documents from the Dreyfus case. Paintings by Soutine, Modigliani, Chagall. Monday-Friday 11 am-6 pm, Sunday 10 am-6 pm. Closed Saturday and Jewish holidays. Free for children age 17 or younger. Wheelchair access. Hotel de Saint Aignan, 71 Rue du Temple (3rd). Phone 01-5301-8660.
Musee d'Orsay—Paintings and sculpture from 1848-1914, housed in a beautifully renovated, luminous turn-of-the-century train station. Highlights include Manet's Dejeuner sur l'Herbe, the portrait Whistler painted of his mother and Monet's five paintings of Rouen Cathedral. Also: architecture, decorative arts (furniture, silver, porcelain), jewelry and a wonderful scale model of the Palais Garnier area. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm, Thursday 10 am-9:45 pm. Guided tours in English at 11 am Tuesday-Saturday and 7 pm Thursday. Closed Monday. Free for children age 17 or younger. 1 Rue de Bellechasse (7th). Phone 01-4049-4814.
Musee de la Mode et du Costume—A marvelous chronicle of fashion from the 18th century to the modern day. The collection of more than 100,000 garments is housed in a Renaissance-style palace of Duchesse Maria de Farrari Galliera. Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5:40 pm. Free for children age 9 or younger. 10 Ave. Pierre Premier de Serbie (16th). Phone 01-4720-8523.
Musee de la Mode et du Textile—This private museum within the Palais du Louvre has changing exhibits on the fashions of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, including clothing, costumes and accessories. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 11 am-5:40 pm, Wednesday 11 am-9 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-5:40 pm. Free for children age 17 or younger. In the Rohan Wing, Palais du Louvre, 107 Rue de Rivoli (1st). Phone 01-4455-5750.
Musee de la Publicite—Part of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs at the Louvre, this collection contains historical ephemera (posters from the 18th through 20th centuries) and film, radio and television commercials from the 1930s to the present. Tuesday-Sunday 11 am-6 pm.Free for children age 17 or younger. In the Rohan Wing, Palais du Louvre, 107 Rue de Rivoli (1st). Phone 01-4455-5750.
Musee des Arts Africains et Oceaniens—Art from Mali, Ivory Coast, New Guinea and Australia—as well as a tropical aquarium.
Wednesday-Monday 10 am-5:30 pm. Free for children age 17 or younger. 293 Ave. Daumesnil (12th). Phone 01-4474-8480.
Musee du Louvre—This 800-year-old building was originally the palace of French kings. It opened as a museum—the first in Europe—in 1793. The Louvre underwent a US$1.2 billion expansion that was instigated by Francois Mitterrand. The transformation began with the I. M. Pei glass pyramid at the entrance and continued with the Sackler wing (financed by U.S. philanthropists Mortimer and Theresa Sackler), the Museum of Fashion and Textiles (Musee de la Mode et du Textile) and a shopping area called the Carrousel du Louvre. Finally, the much talked-about Egyptian wing opened. Nearly 30,000 works are on display throughout, from Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities to paintings and sculpture of the 19th century. Famous holdings include Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Leonardo's Mona Lisa and Michelangelo's Slaves. There is no way to see everything in one day, so choose a wing, period or artist and plan to return. The opening of the Porte des Lions entrance has made lines shorter, and advance tickets are available at FNAC department stores. Monday and Wednesday 9 am-9:45 pm, Thursday-Sunday 9 am-6 pm. Closed Tuesday. Free for youths age 17 or younger, art students and the physically disabled. Free the first Sunday of the month. Rue de Rivoli (1st). Phone 01-4020-5151 or 01-4020-5317.
Musee Marmottan—In a lovely 19th-century town house on beautiful Ranelagh Park. On display are 100 works by Monet and his followers. Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm.Free for children age 7 or younger. 2 Rue Louis Bouilly (16th). Phone 01-4224-0702.
Musee Picasso—This remarkable collection, housed in an elegant 17th-century mansion, covers several periods of Picasso's career, focusing particularly on the later years. Wednesday-Monday 9:30 am-5:30 pm, Thursday 9:30 am-8 pm. Closed Tuesday. Free for children age 17 or younger. Hotel Sale, 5 Rue Thorigny (3rd). Phone 01-4271-2521.
Musee Rodin—This elegant mansion is the perfect setting for Rodin's glowing white marble sculptures, and the garden is full of surprises. Tuesday-Sunday 9:30 am-5:45 pm. 28 F adults, 18 F students and children age 17 or younger. Free for children age 17 or younger. Free first Sunday of the month. 77 Rue de Varenne (7th). Phone 01-4705-0134.
Palais de la Decouverte (Discovery Palace)—Not just for kids, the Palais is part of the Grand Palais, an art-nouveau glass-and-steel structure built for the 1900 World's Fair. Exhibits and films about dinosaurs, mineralogy, nuclear physics, earth sciences, math and chemistry, plus an excellent planetarium. Special exhibitions have separate entrance fees. Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 am-6 pm, Sunday 10 am-7 pm. Free for children age 6 or younger. Located on Avenue Franklin Roosevelt (8th). Phone 01-4074-8182.
Note: Museums are closed one day a week on Mondays or Tuesdays and certain public holidays. Students, seniors and professionals can qualify for reduced rates of admission, so it is a good idea to carry appropriate identification. Anyone can buy a Carte Musees et Monuments, or the Paris Museum Pass, which allows its holders to enter 65 museums in the Paris area without standing in line for a ticket (a great benefit, especially in summer). The pass can be purchased at Metro stations, monuments, museums and the tourist office at 127 Blvd. des Champs Elysees.
