Museal Treasuries
Starting at «A» like «antiques» to «Z» like «Zadkine» – whatever and whoever is of distinction or has a collector's value fills in fulminant collections complete buildings in Paris. Also the biggest museum on Earth, the Musée du Louvre, is located in Paris and offers an almost unbelievable, priceless exhibition of classic art works. Its pendant is the architectonically marked, modern Centre Georges Pompidou – or also the Musée d'Orsay in a former station hall. The huge Musée du Quai Branly is the latest member in the canon of the big Parisian museums. It is a memorial which set ex-president Jacques Chirac for himself in 2006. In France it is a long tradition that big politicians eternalizes themselves in this way.
► Tip: Since July 2006 the «Carte Musées et Monuments» has a conciser name: In the meantime it is called «Paris Museum Pass». The concept remains the approved one: With the pass valid for two (€ 30,00), four (€ 45,00) or six days (€ 60,00) you have free entrance to 60 sights in and around Paris. And this – within the validity period – how often you ever want! Additionally you do not have to wait in the queues, you will be prefered at the entrances. Contrary to its forerunner the «Paris Museum Pass» is available no more at the métro stations (the public transport is no more included, too!) but only at the participating museums and monuments as well as the tourist informations.
Starting at «A» like «antiques» to «Z» like «Zadkine» – whatever and whoever is of distinction or has a collector's value fills in fulminant collections complete buildings in Paris. Also the biggest museum on Earth, the Musée du Louvre, is located in Paris and offers an almost unbelievable, priceless exhibition of classic art works. Its pendant is the architectonically marked, modern Centre Georges Pompidou – or also the Musée d'Orsay in a former station hall. The huge Musée du Quai Branly is the latest member in the canon of the big Parisian museums. It is a memorial which set ex-president Jacques Chirac for himself in 2006. In France it is a long tradition that big politicians eternalizes themselves in this way.
► Tip: Since July 2006 the «Carte Musées et Monuments» has a conciser name: In the meantime it is called «Paris Museum Pass». The concept remains the approved one: With the pass valid for two (€ 30,00), four (€ 45,00) or six days (€ 60,00) you have free entrance to 60 sights in and around Paris. And this – within the validity period – how often you ever want! Additionally you do not have to wait in the queues, you will be prefered at the entrances. Contrary to its forerunner the «Paris Museum Pass» is available no more at the métro stations (the public transport is no more included, too!) but only at the participating museums and monuments as well as the tourist informations.
 Bibliothèque National de France (Site François Mitterand)  It is one of the biggest library buildings on Earth but however only one of seven sites of the French National Library: The site François Mitterand. Its four towers (as expressed by architect Dominique Perrault they shall symbolize an opened book), each with an altitude of 79 m, were inaugurated on 1996/12/20. The inventory of medias on site counts approximately 11 mio. books, 350'000 magazine titles and about 1 mio. audiovisual materials on 300'000 sqm floor-space index. Each year ca. 90'000 new products were added.
► Opening hours: Mondays 2:00 until 6:00 p.m., tuesdays to fridays daily 1:00 until 5:00 p.m. Closed on December 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st as well as January 1st. Admission charges: Admission free. Address: Quai François Mauriac · 75013 Paris (13th arrondissement) · Phone: 01.53.79.42.60 · Internet:  www.bnf.fr · Métro: Place Monge
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 Catacombes de Paris  In the Parisian underworld are uncountable quantities of human skeletons expecting you. The catacombs were founded at the end of the 18th century, when many cemeteries were closed because of the epidemic risk for the people. Always in the night the mortal remains of the deads were moved to another grave between 1787 and 1860. Through the meaningful «Barrière de l’Enfer», the «Gate to Hell» you get over 90 stairs in a depth of 30 m. Here begins the underground quarry in whose corridors the bones of six million deads were stored accumulated. «Hold on, here begins the Empire of the Death» is engraved on the heavy door made out of stone – during your visit goose-flesh is included.
► Opening hours: From tuesdays to fridays 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 Uhr, on saturdays and sundays 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., closed on mondays. Admission fees: € 5,00. Address: 1, place Denfert-Rochereau · F 75014 Paris (14th arrondissement) · Phone: 01.43.22.47.63 · Métro: Denfert-Rochereau |
 Centre (National d’Art et de Culture) Georges Pompidou  An architecturally exceptional building of colourful tubes, metal trestle and glass located right in the heart of the city, presents the most important European modern and contemporary art, e.g. with works of Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. In 1969 state president Georges Pompidou was initiator and answer generator of this futuristic art temple - but to see the completion in 1980 was no more granted to him. He wanted to create a dynamic centre of mordern creativity. And in spite of the mockery at the beginning the Parisians today are proudly of their surpremely successful culture centre. In 2000 the «Raffinérie» has been renovated completely.
► Opening hours: Wednesdays to mondays from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. (ticket offices close at 8:00 p.m.), during big, special exhibitions thursdays until 11:00 p.m. (ticket offices close at 10:00 p.m.). Closed on Tuesdays and on May, 1st. Admission charges 2005: Day ticket incl. museum and all special exhibitions € 10,–, reduced € 8,–. Guided tours in English through the Musée National d’Art Moderne on Saturdays at 3:00 p.m., in French on Saturdays and Sundays at 4:00 p.m. (€ 4,50/ 3,50). Address: Place Georges Pompidou • F 75004 Paris (4th arrondissement) • http://www.centrepompidou.fr • Phone 01.44.78.12.33 • Métro: Rambuteau, Hôtel de Ville |
 Grand Palais (Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais) The Grand Palais does not bear the marking «palace» by chance, it is a really elegant construction out of iron and glass, which was built by architect Charles Girault on the occassion of the World Exhibition in 1900. For all times it is one of the most important exposition centres of the French capital. The northern wing is reserved for the quite big art expositions and can be visited unfortunately only during such an event. But situated in the western wing you find the Palais de la Découverte, a natural science museum to watch and experience, which opens daily. It was founded in 1937 by Jean Perin, Nobel price winner in physics. The basics of natural sciences are presented here in a way that makes them intelligible for everyone.
► Opening hours Palais de la Découverte: Daily except tuesdays 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., wednesdays until 10:00 p.m.; ticket offices close in each case 45 minutes before closure. Closed on May 1st and December 25th. Admission charges Palais de la Découverte (update 2005): In pre-sale via reservation € 10,30, at ticket offices on site from 1:00 p.m. € 9,– (adults) resp. 7,– (youths between 13 and 25 years). Reservations only by phone under 08.92.68.46.94 (€ 0,34/Min.) or online. Address: 3, avenue du Général Eisenhower · F 75008 Paris (8th arrondissement) · Phone 01.44.13.17.30 · Fax 01.45.63.54.33 · www.rmn.fr · Métro: Clemenceau, Franklin D. Roosevelt |
 Hôtel des Invalides with Dôme des Invalides   Constructed for reception and care for war-veterans in 27 years in the 17th century under Louis, XIV. The architects were Libéral Bruant and Jules Harouin. The building exhibits today the bones of Napoléon, who has been disinterred 19 years after the death of the emperor and transferred from St. Helena. Napoléon rests in five engaged coffins (one out of tinplate, one out of mahogany wood, two out of lead and one out of ebony), which are let into the visible, majestic sarcophagus out of red, Finnish porphyr. Furthermore it contents the biggest army museum of the French Republic which is also one of the greatest in the world. Supplementary theme parts are the legendary state president Charles de Gaulle and the Second World War.
Note! This institution is reconditioned until 2008. For this reason ranges of topics can be totally or partly closed. ► Opening hours: October to March daily 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., April to September 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Ticket offices closes 30 minutes befiore closure. Closed on the first monday of each, also on January 1st, May 1st, November 1st and December 25th. Admission charges 2005: 7,– €, reduced 5,– (students until 26 years, pensioners from 60 years), persons under 18 years are free. Address: 129, rue de Grenelle · F 75007 Paris (7th arrondissement) · http://www.invalides.org · Phone 01.44.42.38.77 · Fax 01.44.42.37.64 · Métro: Invalides, Varenne |
 Institut du Monde Arabe From the River Seine the complex of Jean Nouvel looks sad (betimes the building is one of those who are said to have the charme of a provincial tax office) but it truly conceals its exotic beauty inside. In the well-integrated museum you experience the real Arab world far away from prejudices and stereotypes – and that's in those days probably as important as never before. 21 Middle-Eastern states took part in the financing of this institution which concentrates on the support of the Islamic culture and tries to explain it to the West. On the ninth floor you find an Arab restaurant – and an overwhelming view on the Île de la Cité.
► Opening hours: Daily 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Admission fees: free. Address: Rue Cuvier/rue Buffon/rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire/place Valhubert • F 75005 Paris (5th Arrondissement)• Internet: www.mnhn.fr • Phone: 01.40.79.56.01 • Fax: 01.40.79.54.48 • Métro: (Gare d') Austerlitz, Jussieu
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 Maison de Balzac France's most famous author Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) lived here in the rue Raynouard between 1840 and 1847, what occasioned the City of Paris to install on site a little museum in memory to him. The Maison de Balzac accomodates personal memories of a grand author: E.g. scripts, caricatures and everyday objects of the master himself. ► Opening hours: Tuesdays to sundays daily 10:00 a.m. until 5:40 Uhr p.m. Closed on mondays and on bank holidays. Address: 47, rue Raynouard · F 75016 Paris (16th arrondissement) · Phone 01.42.24.56.38 · Fax 01.45.25.19.22 · Métro: Passy |
 Musée d'Orsay The museum exhibits in completion to the Louvre French art of the second half of the 19th century. Main attraction is the world-famous collection of impressionists with works of grand masters like Degas, Renoir, Monet. Furthermore galleries like the «Passage de Presse» (histogramme of the newspaper's history in France) and an originally decorated ballroom of the 19th century create sensations.
The Musée d'Orsay lodges in a former station hall. It has been inauguarated in 1900 in occassion of the World Exhibition 1900 by its architect Victor Laloux. As many other buildings of this era, the Gare d'Orsay consists of iron and glass, the classic construction materials of the Fin du Siècle, too. But already in 1939 it holds out no more the much train traffic and was shut down in default of enlargement capacities. Not before 1973 – the authorization for the demolition was meanwhilely already given – new ideas exhale new life into the former station: It should become a museum which unburdens the Louvre which had arrived its space limits. And so the Italian architect Gae Aulenti designed a recreation concept which has also been realized. ► Opening hours: On tuesday, wednesdays, fridays and saturdays 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., on thursdays 10:00 a.m. until 9:45 p.m., on sundays 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Closed on mondays and on January 1st, May 1st, December 25th. Admission charges: € 9,–, reduced (for youths between 18 and 25 years) € 7,–, for children under 18 years free. Free entrance for everyone on the first sunday of each month. Address: 62, rue de Lille • F 75007 Paris (7th arrondissement) • www.musee-orsay.fr • Phone 01.40.49.49.78 and 01.40.49.48.00 • Métro: Solférino |
 Musée de Montmartre Located right in the heart of Montmartres old-town, a stone's throw away from the Place du Tertre you find the little Musée du Vieux Montmartre, the museum of the old Montmartre. In this romantic house many famous painters, e.g. Auguste Renoir, had in those days their atelier. The building has been constructed in the 17th century, owner was Rosimond, an actor of Molière's ensemble. Besides many memories on the history of the cabaret and the bohème, is also exhibited the original sign with the jackass jumping out of the cooking-pot, who gave the «Lapin Agile» («quick rabbit») once its name. The museum was founded not before 1960 and is based on the collection of the Société d'Histoire et d'Archéologie de Montmartre. ► Opening hours: Daily except on mondays 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Admission charge: € 4,–, reduced € 3,–. Address: 12, rue Cortot • F 75018 Paris (18th arrondissement) • Phone 01.46.06.61.11 • Fax 01.46.06.30.75 • Métro: Lamarck-Coulaincourt |
 Musée du Louvre   Right in the heart of Paris, between the right bank of the river Seine and the rue Rivoli, lays the Louvre. Formerly residence of the French kings, the splendour building is today the biggest and most popular museum on Earth. Its courtyard lays exactly on one line with the Arc de Triomph and the obelisk of the place de la Concorde and constitutes in this way the begin of the so-called «historic axis». Built originally as impressive fortress between 1190 and 1200 under monarch Philippe, II, everyone of its throne heirs let carry out architectural enlargements and made finally a luxury castle out of it. Since 1793 the Louvre is a public museum – Napoléon opened the doors of the complex personally for the subjects for the first time ever. In 1980 the state president of that time, François Mitterand, let completely renovate the Louvre. In 1989 the glass pyramide of the Chinese architect Ieoh Ming Pei has been inaugurated as main entrance; with this innovation Mitterand raises a monument for himself to mark the 200th jubilee of the Revolution.
 The art collections of the kings are located since 1660 at the Louvre. Counted among the most famous artworks are e.g. the Venus of Milo, Dürer's self portrait, Géricault's Raft of the Medusa and, of course, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa (photo). In October 2006 US-scientists have analysed her famous smile: It consists in 83% of luck and in 17% of disgust and anger. Well then... On a exhibition space of more than 60'000 sqm the walls accommodate more than 300'000 exhibits from all continents, of all style directions and all epochs – the unaccessible, subterranean archives not included! Each year five million visitors go here on expedition through the last 2'500 years of the cultural history. By the way: The variety of the collections is supported et all. by the fact that the French can pay their inheritance tax since 1972 also in the form of artworks.
► Review: «Lost in the biggest museum on Earth» (2006). Opening hours: Wednesdays to mondays daily 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., on wednesdays and fridays until 9:45 p.m. Closed on tuesdays as well as on January 1st, May 1st, August 15th, December 25th. Admission fees: € 8,50, on wednesdays and fridays from 6:00 p.m. € 6,–. Free admission for everybody during the first sunday of each month. Rue de Rivoli • F 75001 Paris (1st arrondissement) • www.musee-orsay.fr • Phone 01.40.20.51.51 und 01.40.20.53.17 • Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre
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