The Best Alternative Museums in Paris

There are an abundance of museums in Paris. While the classics cannot be missed, there are many lesser-known places that should also be on your list. So if you're looking for something a little off the beaten path, there are so many great options in the City of Light.

Art lovers, history buffs, and anyone with a love of culture will be delighted to know that there are also dozens of alternative museums in Paris"places that truly celebrate the weird and wonderful aspects of this incredible city.

If you're planning a trip to Paris, all you need to do is check the rules for Entry to France from Australia and get packing.

Musée des Plans-Reliefs

The Musée des Plans-Reliefs is a museum in Paris that displays military models, making it a great choice for history lovers. It is located within the Hôtel des Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.

The museum is dedicated to plans-reliefs, which are architectural models that show fortified cities in 3-dimensional form. The models date back to 1668, when they were constructed for military purposes.

Originally, the plans-relief were in the Louvre, but when the gallery moved to focus entirely on paintings, the collection was moved to the Hôtel des Invalides.

Musée de Cluny

The Musée de Cluny is one of the world's largest and most important collections of objects and art from the Middle Ages. The museum is located on the Boulevard du Palais in the Latin Quarter of the 5th arrondissement.

The museum contains around 23,000 artifacts, including medieval manuscripts, tapestries, sculptures, and stained-glass windows.

One of the most iconic pieces that the Musée de Cluny houses is the 6 tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn (La Dame à la licorne).

Museum of Decorative Arts

The Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris is a must-visit for art lovers. It's located in the heart of the Louvre, so you can visit both museums on the same day.

The exhibits showcase design and decorative art that span across different time periods, exploring how design has changed over time.

The museum has a wide range of exhibits, including furniture, sculptures, and paintings from around the world. Some highlights include a Louis XVI bedroom suite, an 18th-century English drawing room, and 19th-century French furniture.

Museum of Music

The Museum of Music in Paris is a place where you can learn about the history of music and how it has evolved over time. You'll find musical instruments from all over the world, as well as exhibits on famous musicians.

The museum houses over 1,000 objects that range from historical instruments to musical manuscripts, as well as pieces of art related to music

There are also many interactive displays where visitors can play period instruments like pianos or harpsichords in order to get a sense for how these instruments were used back when they were first created.

Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum is located in rue de Thorigny, in the Marais district of Paris. It houses more than 5,000 works from Pablo Picasso's life, who lived in France from 1905 to 1973.

There are many things to see here: paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and drawings that were created by Picasso during his career as an artist.

The museum also displays some of his personal possessions like furniture and jewelry that he made for his wife Olga Khokhlova during their marriage.

Discovery Palace

The Palais de la Découverte is a science museum that was created by Jean Baptiste Perrin"a Nobel Prize winner in Physics"in 1987.

The museum features exhibits that cover mathematics, physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, and biology. There's even a planetarium, with a 15-meter dome.

Today, Discovery Palace attracts millions of visitors each year from around the world who come for fun but also for education.

City of Ceramics Sèvres

Ceramics are a beautiful art form, and the City of Ceramics Sèvres is home to some of the most beautiful pieces you'll ever see.

The museum was inaugurated in 1824, and it was the first one in the world to be completely dedicated to ceramic arts.

Visitors can view over 50,000 ceramic objects, which cover traditional European and Asian pieces as well as works by leading 19th and 20th century artists.