Venture beyond the Eiffel Tower to enjoy the best museums in the world.
Whether your preference is the Louvre or Musée d'Orsay, get ready to fall madly in love. In a city that doesn't need even more beauty, these museums -- and others in Paris -- overflow with an embarassment of riches.
Instructions
Museums are no longer boring
1. Step inside Musée d'Orsay and you're transported back in time. The building was an old train station, the Gare d'Orsay, and with its high ceilings and unique architecture, you definitely feel inspired there.Thirty-two works by Degas alone will remind you that Paris has long been the place for dreamers, as most of his works are set in Paris. Other artists such as Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec will continue to surprise and delight you while touring this austere and airy museum, a juxtaposition of the old with the new. This museum, which opened in the late 1980s, houses mid-1800s to early 1900s photography and art, which will whet the appetite of the modern art lover not as excited by the Louvre's older offerings.
2. Experience with all your senses. Paintings, sculptures and drawings are meant to be experienced on every level. Close your eyes a moment while you are standing before Renoir's "Bal du moulin de Galette" and imagine yourself a guest at this dinner. You can almost smell the red wine and hear the cacophony of laughter.
3. Visit the cafes and restaurants at the museums. Musee d'Orsay has a great cafe on the opposite side of the infamous clock at the train station. If you're lucky, you'll even see the hand on the dial move while eating your croissant. A restaurant at Musee d'Orsay will make you feel that you are in a palace. White tablecloths and champagne are a perfect backdrop for the star attraction: a full-on view of Paris through the bay windows.
4. Visit the Louvre in the off-season. The line for the Louvre in summer and around Christmas is so long that many people opt to skip it. If you really don't want to miss the Louvre and the Venus di Milo (Aphrodite), then think seriously about visiting Paris in late February or early November, those are great times to get in and see the Mona Lisa.
5. Skip the souveneir/gift shops and draw your experience. Bring a small drawing pad and charcoal pencil and notepad and pen along. Even if you only got a B in high school art class, you'll be amazed at what seeing a Monet or two can do for your creativity. Even if you don't want to draw, the notebook will allow you to record biographical and other details of the artwork.
