Petit Palais
The Petit Palais, also known as Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, is the city’s Museum of Fine Arts, known for its imposing architecture as well as the art within.
Petit Palais
The Petit Palais, also known as Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, is the city’s Museum of Fine Arts, known for its imposing architecture as well as the art within.
Paris’ Petit Palais (French for Small Palace) is home to the city’s Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris.
The museum is known for its Mediaeval and Renaissance holdings, impressive 18th-century furniture sets, as well as a remarkable collection of 19th-century paintings and sculptures. However, many visit the Petit Palais even just to admire the building’s stunning architecture and design.
Because of its fame, the Petit Palais is actually a popular stop along the routes taken by Paris hop-on hop-off buses. If you’re interested in these tours, we recommend getting one with one of the two most well-known companies, Tootbus or Big Bus .
Together with the adjacent Grand Palais, the Petit Palais was designed and built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Beaux-Arts style. Its distinctive look is given by the central archway, topped by an iconic dome and flanked by a set of ionic columns that run the entire length of the porch.
Further embellishing the building are several sculptures and the two pavillions at the extremities, complete with free-standing columns and their own domes. The open area formed at the centre of the building is occupied by a majestic peristyle courtyard
At the Petit Palais’ exhibits, both permanent and temporary ones, you’ll find vast collections of paintings, art objects, drawings, furniture pieces, antiques, metalwork, jewellery, and sculptures. Among the notable artists whose pieces are held here are Rembrandt, Rubens, Delacroix, Monet, Sisley, Pissarro, Cézanne, Danger, Rodin, and Modigliani.
Location
Avenue Winston Churchill, 8th arrondissement.
Entries
Entry to the Petit Palais and its permanent collections is always free.
The temporary exhibitions aren’t always free of charge, so we suggest you check the Petit Palais’ website .
Schedule
| Day |
|---|
| Tue - Thurs, Sun |
| Fri - Sat |
| Mon, 1.01, 1.05, 11.11, 25.12 |
| Day | Opening time | Last admission | Closure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue - Thurs, Sun | 10:00 am | 4:45 pm | 6:00 pm |
| Fri - Sat | 10:00 am | 5:45 pm | 7:00 pm |
| Mon, 1.01, 1.05, 11.11, 25.12 | Closed |
Transport
Paris hop-on hop-off buses all stop by the Petit Palais. The most recommendable and popular of these bus companies are Big Bus and Tootbus. You can get a Tootbus hop-on hop-off bus tour here or book a Big Bus tour here .
Otherwise, you can always take public transport, using the following lines.
Nearby sights
Champs-Élysées - 200 m (660 feet) north, 2-minute walk.
Place de la Concorde - 750 m (over 0.4 miles) east, 9-minute walk.
Jardin des Tuileries - 750 m (over 0.4 miles) east, 10-minute walk.
Musée de l’Orangerie - 750 m (over 0.4 miles) east, 10-minute walk.
La Madeleine - 1.1 km (under 0.7 miles) northeast, 15-minute walk.
Musée des Égouts de Paris - 1.2 km (over 0.7 miles) northeast, 15-minute walk.
Les Invalides - 1.3 km (0.8 miles) south, 17-minute walk.
