Just as our eyes are a key to the soul, so are museums the key to the past and future.
If someone were to ask me what the most important and amazing places in the world are, my answer would be simple: “museums.” They are among the world’s most intriguing places.
As temples of knowledge, they reveal the history, cultural heritage, and traditions of predecessors.
Museums can teach us so much, even about the present, if we look hard enough to understand the story they tell.
There are different purposes a museum can serve, ranging from helping Parisian researchers to informing the general public by offering visitors exciting opportunities to view some of the best and most precious art in the world. So many of these institutions are scattered all over the world, each satisfying a different taste. But what do they have in common?
Well, they all offer the opportunity to learn more about nature, artists, and cultural values of different eras and periods of art, and, funny as it may sound, they could also offer visitors the opportunity to meet their life partner (haha).
Paris is well-known for its collections of weird, creepy, and wonderfully unique museums which bring to life the fascinating history of this magnificent city, and is a center for education and ideas for lovers of art. Almost everyone can attest to the fact that, apart from sightseeing attractions and the exquisite cuisine, delectable wines, and all the beautiful monuments, this town boasts some of the world’s most amazing galleries or repositories and has earned its reputation of being the “Centre of Art”.
The Louvre, the Rodin, and the Musée d’Orsay are all world-renowned museums located in Paris.
If you are new to the world of art, then my advice would be to visit the Parisian museums which hold some of the oldest historic and modern pieces of artistic work or designs and will amaze you.
It’s noteworthy to say that Parisian museums are unique. Here are seven things that make them so:
1. Historic nature of Paris
For centuries, Paris has played a major role in the world of art.
The Louvre is a major art museum located in the heart of Paris. The building depicts the history of a former royal palace, with an area of 210,000 square meters, including 60,600 for the exhibition. The museum housed in the Louvre was originally a fortress built in the late 12th century under Philip II. Its art collections are mind-blowing, and range from classical sculpture,
Egyptian mummies and Mesopotamian antiquities via Renaissance and baroque painting to the early 19th century.
Musée D’Orsay is another exciting museum that tells a story about the transition of artwork in Paris, housing the world’s largest French works of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Manet, Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh, dating from 1848-1914.
In 1986, this former train station opened as a museum when pieces were transferred from the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume to the new exhibition space. The Impressionist pieces depict the ephemeral moment of nature and preserve it within the canvas.
2. Its modern collections
A contemporary and modern art base of Paris, and known for its cutting-edge and amazing display of modern architecture in the center of Paris, the Pompidou Centre opened in 1977. It houses the National Museum of Modern Art and Industrial Design Centre and Pompidou’s collections.
Among those represented are Picasso, Braque, Matisse and the surrealists, to the current trends of innovative design by artists from emerging countries. These are but a few reasons to check out the uniqueness of the Pompidou Centre, which boasts Europe’s largest collection of modern art.
3. Story Telling
Parisian museums are renowned for their exhibits’ ability to tell a story.
In fact, the exhibits succeed because they weave all of their parts together into a cohesive and captivating narrative, which encourages learning, memory, and interest in the message they convey.
It is, therefore, no surprise that visitors to the museums are deeply engaged by the displays.
The most beautiful part of the Parisian Museums, aside from the paintings, are the buildings themselves. The architecture is a unique and fascinating reason to visit.
4. Teach life lessons
There is so much we can learn about life in Paris from sculptures to paintings of various artists. Museums are the keys to unveiling the past.
For example, the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle was formerly a Royal Garden of medicinal plants kept by King Louis XIII in the 17th century.
The gardens of Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle have a special focus on biodiversity and support ecological programs. Inside the gardens is the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle, which offers a comprehensive lesson on various fields of natural history, including botany (the collection features more than 10,000 plant species), mineralogy (with notable giant crystals), zoology, ecology, and paleontology.
Musée D’Orsay is another exciting museum that teaches us about the Impressionist transition of art in Paris, the medieval age where artists no longer focused their paintings on idealized form, but the ephemeral moment of nature or paint as they see the world in its imperfect state.
5. Fascinating Environment
Paris and holiday are two words that appear to make a perfect match owing to the beauty and serenity of the city.
Consequently, this has made Parisian museums stand apart from most others because of the variety of sightseeing and attractive neighborhoods that the city offers.
For instance, the Musée d’Orsay is situated on the left bank, just above the river known as les Berges de Seine. It is a pedestrian area turned into a walkway and entertainment space that runs from the Royal Bridge (next to the Musée d’Orsay) to the Alma Bridge (next to the Eiffel Tower). The area consists of playgrounds for children, floating gardens, open-air cafes, flower beds, and sporting courses. It’s a very relaxing space right in the city center without any car worries or stress from the usual city noises.
The largest “plus” of the Orsay neighborhood is that there are many places to take a nap along the Seine Banks: self-service beanbags and tepees can be used if you prefer sleeping in the shadow.
Also, their artifacts, buildings, and sculptures are well-maintained to preserve the history of Paris.
6. They are beautiful
The most beautiful part of the Parisian Museums, aside from the paintings, are the buildings themselves. The architecture is a unique and fascinating reason to visit.
What would Paris be without its symbolic Eiffel Tower?
It is one of the most visited monuments in the world, with nearly 7 million visitors a year, and an atmosphere of love for couples at night.
The history museum is beautiful. Its works of art, the bond created by famous people from varied intellectual, political and artistic backgrounds in the capital, and also the emotional impact of the historical scenes, are what make the history museum so original and contribute to the unique atmosphere which it conveys of the City of Light down through the centuries.
The Latin Quarter of Paris, located at the left bank of the Seine around the Sorbonne is known for its student life, lively atmosphere and bistros. It’s home to many higher education institutions.
There are 106 statues, a bronze reduction of the Statue of Liberty, and 3 beautiful fountains.
7. Temple of knowledge
Paris was named the city of Light because it was the center of the Enlightenment in the 18th century.
During the Age of Enlightenment, Paris became the center of education, philosophy, and learning. There are many other great museums in Paris, such as the Museum of Advertising which was the world’s first museum dedicated to the world of advertising. It explores some of the finest examples of film, print, television, and radio advertising.
Similarly, the Museum of Arts and Invention is a great place to take inquisitive kids, in order to get them learning about the power of invention and the history of scientific instruments. Some of the amazing exhibits on the show include airplanes, vintage cars, Pascal’s calculator, and Foucault’s pendulum. You can also learn about the development of Jewish communities, their art, history cultural heritage, and traditions in the Museum of Jewish Art and History.
Wow!
Allow me to conclude by stating that visiting “Parisian Museums” will provide inspiration for budding artists and give them the opportunity to see the fascinating works of art that earned this city its reputation as a Centre for art lovers just like myself.
Having already visited most of the main museums in and around Paris, I’m yet to decide which one, between Le Louvre, Le Musée d’Orsay and le musée du Quai-Branly, is my favorite.
