Taken as a whole (along with the Musée de la Mode et du Textile and Musée de la Publicité), this is one of the world's major collections of design and the decorative arts. Located in the west wing of the Louvre since its opening a century ago, the venue reopened in 2006 after a decade-long, €35-million restoration of the building and of 6,000 of the 150,000 items donated mainly by private collectors. The major focus here is French furniture and tableware...
These historical central quartiers have a lot of stories to tell, so it’s no wonder there’s so vast an array of museums and art galleries to choose from. Whizz through the captivating worlds of ballet, toy dolls and Edith Piaf – or alternatively get a hit of modern sculpture, art nouveau or decorative art – with our selection of the very best such establishments in the Opéra and Grands Boulevards areas below.