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    Petit Palais

    4.4 (84 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Petit Palais Photos

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    Sepideh Z.

    First off, this museum is FREE which is rare in Paris. It's also not very well known which makes it not as busy. The selection of art here is particular but beautiful. Some of the pieces are truly breathtaking. The gardens was under construction when we went so there wasn't much to see there. If you're looking to grab some coffee or save money, I would recommend coming here for an hour or so.

    Elisa C.

    This is one of the Paris museums that didn't require a reservation for general admission (exhibit specific do require separate tickets). This spot doesn't disappoint and also has pieces by Monet and Rembrandt along with contemporary artists. I can't wait to go back

    Katie R.

    A free museum is not something I thought I'd come across in Paris, but Petit Palais is just that! Aside from its beautiful exterior, Petit Palais also boasts a broad collection of art from sculptures and paintings, to royal relics once housed by the royals. There is also a beautiful outside courtyard lined with chairs to relax and take in the beauty. While this museum isn't huge, it's a great way to spend a little bit of your time while in Paris. Of course if you're really into art you could spend hours where, but since it's free it's easy to stop in for a short amount of time and get your art fix. We went on a weekday afternoon and got in immediately, no line, just a quick bag check.

    Clay G.

    Le Petit Palais a free art museum near a lot of notable Parisian locations. With art spanning from the renaissance to present, they even have a Monet. If you're looking to kill an hour sometime during your stay, I'd highly recommend stopping by.

    Andrea U.

    Walking back to our hotel we passed the ornate palace. It is on the corner of Winston Churchill Blvd & the Champs-Elysees; Winston stands guard at the corner. The doors were opened, there was no charge so wandered inside. There were frescos on the ceiling, tiled walkways, a lush garden, statues, a lot of beautiful art & a large gift shop. The Petit Palace was built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition & is now the now the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts. It is across opposite the Grand Palais that appeared boarded up.

    Steve W.

    If you ever arrive in Paris and forget or fail to get a reservation at the Musee d'Orsay or Louvre-- check this place out! It's not only beautiful, extensive, less crowded-- but free! There's something for all art lovers and you can also buy tickets for special exhibitions. We saw an incredible, comprehensive early 20th century show on Paris art and culture with Picasso, Cocteau, Man Ray, dance, fashion, etc.

    Take a coffee break in the gorgeous garden rotunda.
    Christine M.

    We toured Paris with a local on May 1, on which every museum is closed. Our pal wanted to show us this place, one of her favourite spots in Paris, but expected it to be be closed too. But it was open! And the permanent collection is free. The cafe is lovely, there's a large indoor space, plus several tables outside in the garden. Get a table here and enjoy feeling like a Parisian aristocrat for a few minutes as you sip your coffee, eat your cake, then take a look at the beautiful paintings in the main collection. It's a smaller museum, so you can take in some art without feeling overwhelmed. There are some lovely works here and I highly recommend this spot if you're wandering the historic sights, need a coffee break, and want to be inside a beautiful palace without dropping any Euros.

    One of the galleries
    Alex K.

    Do you want to stand in a long line to get tickets? Do you want to shuffle through the stuffy crowded rooms? Do you want to NOT be able to see famous art because it is mobbed by hordes of camera armed tourists? Then this museum is not for you (Louvre is though) However, if you want a free admission to a beautiful airy and spacious museum that houses variety of art (including famous one like Rembrandt), then Petit Palais is a great choice. You will not regret it.

    Grab a lounge chair and relax in the garden
    Anna D.

    Free entry and wonderful! The building is stunning and not too large so quite easy to quickly cruise through in under an hour or spend all afternoon here. You can relax in the garden in lounge chairs and get food from the cafe and read about the art with the free Wi-Fi. Underrate museum in Paris but very charming and worth a visiting!

    Kim R.

    What a gorgeous building! I went here yesterday with a tour group & the outside/inside is beautiful. Be sure to look up; there are so many details in the ceiling & walls that you will miss if you don't have a proper look & take it all in. The main exhibit halls are free.

    Jeffrey C.

    What a gem among all the incredible artistic venues within this tremendous city of Paris. Spend an enjoyable and relaxing afternoon with wonderful works of art in a breathtaking building. The garden should not be missed as well. Just perfection!

    Cassandra Y.

    The Location: Metro #1 & 13, Exit "Champs Elysees Clemenceau". The metro station is right next to the museum. The Admission: FREE! It is right across street from Grand Palais, another beautiful museum. Another historic architecture in this area. Lots of pictures moments.... don't forget to walk down the street to the bridge. Love the gold statues~

    Entrance & exit to Palais
    Tom H.

    A must see in Paris, very easy to access and it's free. The Petit Palais is a tiny gem located across the street from the Grand Palais, and I think it's more interesting. Built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, the Petit Palais was built to be a lasting building that would become a permanent fine arts museum after the exhibition. Very well lit and easy to walk through. The garden is small with a restaurant, if you can get a seat.

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    8 years ago

    Petit Palais is amazing. The building and surroundings are breathtaking. They even have some Monet exhibits. I highly recommend!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Petit Palais Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Petit Palais

    Located across the avenue from the Grand Palais, this building, in my opinion, was far more visually stunning.

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    Centre Pompidou

    Centre Pompidou

    4.3(319 reviews)
    2.8 kmBeaubourg, 4ème

    This museum has all of the modern mischief makers and envelope pushers that you learn about in art…read morehistory classes--Miro, Duchamp, Kadinsky, Klein, Klee, etc--plus their lesser known peers and contemporary artists. It's exciting to be around so much creativity and spark. The building itself is a draw, and you can enjoy the nearby fountain filled with moving statues and take the famous elevator all the way to the top for free--the view is the best, and I prefer it more than the view from the Eiffel Tower! There is also a notable bookstore filled with art folios and a wall of postcards, accessible without tickets. If you enter the paid floors, expect to be wowed for at least 2-3 hours.

    Centre Pompidou was due to close its doors for a years-long renovation when I went. Thought not…read morecompletely shut down (Wolfgang Tillmans was showing his photographs), the lack of exhibits make this arts center a shell of its former self; even the long escalator, a prominent feature, wasn't in operation. Also, there was no access to the rooftop viewing platform. The building is very cool with its "inside out" design as giant pipes decorate the exterior. I remember Centre Pompidou as full of life, I hope when it returns to be able to experience its full art programming once again. Two stars because it's depressing to see the building half done & half alive.

    Photos
    Centre Pompidou - Display of Space Invaders street art decals

    Display of Space Invaders street art decals

    Centre Pompidou
    Centre Pompidou

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    Musée de l’Orangerie

    Musée de l’Orangerie

    4.6(256 reviews)
    0.6 kmConcorde/Madeleine, 1er

    Orangerie Museum, Paris, France -- April 12…read more Our family of four with kids ages 9 and 10 visited after a morning at the Louvre, looking for a more relaxed museum experience. It ended up being one of the most enjoyable stops of the trip. Arrival and First Impressions The museum is smaller and much calmer than the Louvre, which made it an easy transition after a busy morning. The space is bright with beautiful natural light and a peaceful atmosphere. We arrived without reservations, and it took about 45 minutes to enter the museum. The Highlights Monet's water lilies are the centerpiece and absolutely worth the visit. The scale, color, and immersive layout of the rooms make it a unique experience. We also enjoyed seeing works by artists like Matisse and Renoir. The park outside was a great bonus and gave the kids space to run around afterward. The Challenges We waited about 45 minutes to get in without reservations, which could have been avoided with advance tickets. Final Thoughts This museum was my personal favorite and a place we would absolutely visit again. It is a great option for families or anyone looking for a more manageable and peaceful museum experience. It is definitely worth it, especially if you plan ahead

    I'm honestly surprised I did not go to this museum when visiting Paris in the past, as it has a…read morebeautiful installation of Claude Monet's Water Lillies. Book tickets directly from the museum website, otherwise you may pay more. Times entries are available. Get there early to avoid the crowds as the galleries are small. The two oval rooms of Monet paintings are the highlight here. Designed by the painter himself, they are meant to be observed in silence, but that is not what we experienced while there. Eat before you visit. The cafe food and drink was unfortunately some of the worst I've experienced in a museum.This museum is in the Tuileries Garden with a large wall around the area. Nice views of the Eiffel Tour and seating overlooking the river is available nearby.

    Photos
    Musée de l’Orangerie - Photo 3: "Les Trois Sœurs" by Henri Matisse (1916-17)

    Photo 3: "Les Trois Sœurs" by Henri Matisse (1916-17)

    Musée de l’Orangerie
    Musée de l’Orangerie

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    Musée du Louvre - Haute Couture at the Louvre

    Musée du Louvre

    4.5(2.3k reviews)
    1.5 km1er, Palais Royal/Musée du Louvre

    Wow, what a museum. There's is so much to see. I would love to return one day because I didn't have…read moreall the time to take everything in. I was there for a good 3+hours. There are sections where the painting takes up the entire wall. Not a mural, but a full painting with an entire scene and details for days. Look up, and you'll see more art. Some art pieces are so large, you can only properly view it from afar. The ceilings are also beautiful. It's all so impressive. I opted for a timed ticket entry booking for 9am and didn't wait in line for very long. I'd say about 30minutes before it got moving. I was in the earlier crowd, close to the pyramid and can see the security area. Security was swift, but I packed lightly. Of course after using the bathroom and grabbing my audio guide I bee-lined right for the Mona Lisa, knowing it was the most popular painting there. I was able to get right up to the barrier pretty peacefully within 5 minutes of waiting. I heard someone say "well this is quite pleasant" lol. I was surprised too! So definitely get there early because when I returned to this spot later, closer to noon, boy was it packed with tourists groups and people rushing in to try for a good view. I definitely noticed that keeping calm also keeps everyone else around you calm, so don't go running because that might trigger everyone else to run and that's how chaos ensues. Don't push. You've got time, just wait your turn. My friends opted to go on a third party tour and I don't think they were able to get up to the barrier, but they prioritized the in-person guided experience more than anything, so just keep this in mind if you're deciding whether to opt to go on your own or with a group. Everything had English captions which was helpful. Underground, where the exit is, there are tons of shops. The museum's souvenir shop is quite nice, with cute collaborations. We passed by tons of other cute shops like Pop Mart and Le Petit Souk where I grabbed some cute postcards, and my friend grabbed some flats from VIVAIA. It's a whole mall down there called Carrousel du Louvre. Keep this in mind if you somehow still have energy for it after walking a million steps at the museum lol.

    Ok. I am going to be a little negative here. I know The Louvre is the most popular museum in the…read moreworld. So why am I giving a 3? I visited it last week and purchased my advance reservation ticket weeks before for last Thursday at 9 am. Taking the Metro there was easy and I arrived in the center by the glass pyramid at about 8:40 am. By then there were several hundred people already standing in the 9 am line. By 9 am there were several hundred more people behind me. I estimated about 1500 people were in my 9 am line. As we started to move towards security there were people already in the 9:30 am line and even some in the 10 am line. The crowds here are for real. It was almost 9:30 am by the time I got past security and inside ready to start, First problem. There are just too many people admitted every day. I found it distracting to look and admire all of the works of art in there. It's like going to a college football game. The Louvre reminded me of the second most popular museum which is The Vatican Museums in Rome. I've been there too. Second problem. Even some if the docents agreed with me that their map is confusing, I know that because I got lost a few times and asked them for directions, One of them told me that it's better to ask a docent for directions than try to figure where you are using the map! By the way you get your map in your language right after you pass security. This place is big. It's very easy to miss things you might want to see if you aren't careful. Now, I have a tip for improvement. When I visited The Vatican Museums a couple of years ago, I took a guided tour which made the visit pleasurable and less stressful, I failed to do that here. My mistake. If I had I might have a better perspective of this place. The guides don't get lost and also point out things that I might have missed. This is a great museum with high quality art and history inside. It's silly that hundreds of people will jostle to get Mona Lisa's picture but you will too like I did. Ditto on the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory. Don't forget afterward to visit the exterior of the Louvre including the nearby Gardens.

    Photos
    Musée du Louvre - It's smaller than you think

    It's smaller than you think

    Musée du Louvre - Michaelango

    Michaelango

    Musée du Louvre - Hellooooo Mona Lisa

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    Hellooooo Mona Lisa

    Les Catacombes de Paris - Interior

    Les Catacombes de Paris

    4.2(472 reviews)
    3.8 kmDenfert-Rochereau, 14ème

    Yes. Come do the touristy things like shopping, eating, and sightseeing. But also consider this…read moreplace with a spin to the sightseeing portion with a historical twist. The admissions price you pay is worth it. You just don't see this type of local flair anywhere else. Soak in the history about Paris and also its darker side. Your perspective about things will change, for most people anyway. The takeaway the hubs took from this experience is that nothing really matters at the end. It's a real eye opening experience TBH. As you wander the dark corridors, you will see piles of real human bones piled in neat stacks. It was saddening to realize that these were once human beings. Now they are part of a collection of unknown souls. It was just a down to earth experience. The audio tour will allow you to wander at your pleasure so there's no real rush or live tour. Book early because spots are limited!

    The major thing we wanted to do in Paris was visit the catacombs, an underground ossuary containing…read morethe bones of more than six million people. The catacombs are part of Paris' abandoned mine and quarry network, and bones were moved to the catacombs because the cemeteries were running out of space. The first bones were transferred from the Cimetière des Saints-Innocents after the cemetery was closed in 1780 due to overuse. The catacombs are an extremely popular attraction, and purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended as a limited number of people are admitted each hour, and with good reason -- the experience would be extremely unpleasant if overly crowded. However, you can only purchase tickets one week in advance, and the catacombs are not open on Mondays. The two full days we were in Paris were Sunday and Monday, so I had to ensure that we were able to get tickets for Sunday April 7. Fortunately I was successful! Tickets were €29 each, although per the website, they are now €31. Unfortunately, the catacombs are not accessible for people in wheelchairs or who have mobility issues -- the 1.5km long route has 243 stairs -- 131 to descend and 112 to ascend. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and if you want to see bones and skulls (no full skeletons, though), the Paris catacombs won't disappoint! [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Paris, France; Beware of stairs!]

    Photos
    Les Catacombes de Paris
    Les Catacombes de Paris - Catacombs

    Catacombs

    Les Catacombes de Paris

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    Hôtel des Invalides

    Hôtel des Invalides

    4.4(86 reviews)
    1.2 km7ème, Invalides

    The Musee de l'Armee is located in the Hotel des Invaldies, which also houses the grand tomb of…read moreNapoleon Bonaparte. Hotel des invalides was the creation of Loius XIV and originally was a hospital and retirement home for military veterans. The museum has many different sections to visit and houses one of the largest collections of military weapons and other objets from the middle ages to the present. It also houses the St Louis des Invalides Cathedral. We visited in February 2026 and paid 17 euro each for entrance fee. Its opens at 10am and closes at 5:50pm. Plan to spend at least 3 to 4 hours here. We were here for the entire day and still did not get to see everything. Audio guides are free as long as you leave an ID with the desk. I would recommend getting the audio tour. There was massive construction going on in the enormous courtyard, so unfortunately this was not accessible. There is a cafe near Napoleans tomb which which we stopped on for hot chocolate and croissants and to rest.

    This is a cool museum to visit. It once was and still is a hospital for veterans. If you like…read moreNapoleonic history then this is a MUST SEE museum. I personally enjoyed it. I cannot emphasize enough how cool and vast this museum is. Super worth seeing. Started in the weapons gallery. So many swords, knives, shields, and other weapons from different eras like the French, Ottoman Turks, the Japanese and so forth. Then went to the big French/Napoleon exhibition. Wow. So much information, portraits, videos, and stuff to learn. You could spend the entire day here. So many rooms and hallways to see. Finally finished with Napoleon's tomb. Wow! What a casket for one man. Definitely their crown jewel. What Abraham Lincoln was to us, Napoleon is to the French. Definitely visit this museum!

    Photos
    Hôtel des Invalides
    Hôtel des Invalides - Amor

    Amor

    Hôtel des Invalides

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    La Tour Eiffel - 7am view from our hotel

    La Tour Eiffel

    4.6(2.2k reviews)
    1.7 kmTour Eiffel/Champ de Mars, 7ème

    Landmark in Paris, France…read more.. I've visited this famous piece of architecture a few times before I knew about Yelp. Back in 2000, I was here with my former co-worker. She didn't want to visit because there was a bomb threat. I told her that it's just a threat. How many miles and hours did we fly to just stay in the hotel room? She ended up walking outside with me... LOL! Our friend dropped us off this time to just get photos. He and his wife drove around the block and picked us up in-between stops. Parking is quite the challenge here! Be on your best behavior... some guards with guns marched past us!

    I had a 3 pm reserved ticket To The Top and arrived 30 minutes early. I'm glad I did because they…read morewere running behind schedule. Once On Top I was almost 1,000 feet above ground and the views were dramatic. One level is fully enclosed behind large windows and the level above is open air with large metal screens for protection. That day the wind was calm so it was very pleasant to be on that level. On the open air level you can buy a glass of champagne and macarons to celebrate if you wish. Above you the tower rises for about another 100 feet for radio antennas, etc. It costs extra to go To The Top and it is worth it. If you do, go there first and then work your way down to the 2nd and then 1st levels. You can only access The Top by elevator. The 2nd level (400 feet) and 1st level (200 feet) are accessible by elevator and stairway. Remember it's much easier going downhill than uphill. By the way, the stairs are open air but enclosed with metal screens making it impossible for you to fall off. If you are on the 1st level and want to exit it is faster to do so by stairs rather than waiting on the elevator. There are upscale restaurants on the 1st and 2nd levels and there are chairs that you can sit on and enjoy the view. Actually, the famous French landmarks are better seen from the 2nd level than The Top. There are 2 Metro stations within less than 10 minute walking distance to the Tower so getting here is easy. It amazes me that this HUGE landmark was originally designed to be a temporary structure only, They were suppose to take it down but decided it was too popular.

    Photos
    La Tour Eiffel - A friend just sent this Eiffel tower photo

    A friend just sent this Eiffel tower photo

    La Tour Eiffel - Eiffel Tower, Paris December 1,2024.

    Eiffel Tower, Paris December 1,2024.

    La Tour Eiffel - Bask in the shadow of the Tower of Eiffel and eat the buttered toast of luck and forgiveness.              -VerveBimly

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    Bask in the shadow of the Tower of Eiffel and eat the buttered toast of luck and forgiveness. -VerveBimly

    Petit Palais - museums - Updated May 2026

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