Paris is a town proud of its cultural heritage. The artists that hail from France are world famous and their fame goes beyond national bounds. The people of Paris believe that culture and art should be available to everyone, which is precisely the reason why entrance to some Parisian museums is free of charge. Apart from the renowned Louvre and Orsay, the City of Lights boasts many other museums which are definitely worth your attention
The Louvre is a museum that is visited by around eight million people annually, and is surely one of the most important landmarks of the City of Lights. It is a sin to visit Paris without visiting this museum. The construction of the block of buildings that would make up the Louvre started in the 12th century during the Reign of King Philip II. The construction process was expanded several times, slowly forming the Louvre Palace that was, at the time, used as a royal residency. During the reign of King Louis XIV in the 16th century, the residency was moved to Versailles, while the Louvre began to be used as a place to display the royal family’s art collection. In addition to this, the Louvre became the seat of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture.
The Orsay, along with the Louvre, is one of the most famous museums of Paris. The museum is located at the old railway station of Gare d’Orsay, which was constructed in 1900 for the needs of the World Convention that was held in Paris. The station was functional for around 40 years, after which it was forgotten. In 1977, the government of Paris decided to renovate the old station and the museum was opened for the public in 1986. The Orsay is visited by around 4 million people annually. The art pieces displayed there are primarily from the 18th and 19th century, and were brought to the Orsay from three different museums: The Louvre, The Museum of Modern Arts, as well as from the Jeu de Paume.
The Rodin Museum was opened in 1916 on the initiative of Auguste Rodin. The artist's sculptures are exhibited in his summer house and its wonderful gardens. The summer house is truly charming, made in the Rococo style. Rodin donated his works of art and sculptures to the city with the aim of displaying the works in his summer house where the entire world could see them. The rich collection consists of 6,500 sculptures, mostly made of marble, bronze, plaster, as well as 10,000 sketches, drawings, photographs.
The Georges Pompidou Center boasts the best collection of works of contemporary and modern art in the world. The building is made in the so-called hi-tech style, and it also houses the Republic Library and the Museum of Modern Art. The center is named after Georges Pompidou, the former president of France. The center was officially opened in 1977, and so far it has been visited by more than 150 million visitors. The museum is located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris, and was once a pioneer when it comes to a modern architectural solution. There is also a center for music and acoustics, which is widely known.
