This mammoth 23,000-sq-metre space is an ode on three floors to French architecture. The highlight is the light-filled ground floor with a beautiful collection of plaster and wood moulages (casts) of cathedral portals, columns and gargoyles. Replicas of murals and stained glass originally created for the 1878 Exposition Universelle are on display on the upper floors. Views of the Eiffel Tower are equally monumental.
Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
Top choice in Paris
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.41 MILES
There are different ways to experience the Eiffel Tower, from a daytime trip or an evening ascent amid twinkling lights, to a meal in one of its…
2.9 MILES
Home to Europe's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, Centre Pompidou has amazed and delighted visitors ever since it opened in 1977, not…
2.64 MILES
Visit Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day when Paris’ oldest, finest stained glass (1242–48) is at its dazzling best. The chapel is famous for its stained…
2.24 MILES
It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, with its glass pyramid and ornate façade, that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.
2.82 MILES
It’s gruesome, ghoulish and downright spooky, but it never fails to captivate visitors. In 1785, the subterranean tunnels of an abandoned quarry were…
1.34 MILES
Even if you're not an art lover, it is worth visiting this high-profile art museum to lose yourself in its romantic gardens.
2.45 MILES
This famous inner-city oasis of formal terraces, chestnut groves and lush lawns has a special place in Parisians' hearts.
2.78 MILES
Elegant and regal in equal measure, the massive neoclassical dome of the Left Bank's iconic Panthéon is an icon of the Parisian skyline. Louis XV…
Nearby Paris attractions
0.04 MILES
The two curved, colonnaded wings of this building (built for the 1937 International Expo) and central terrace afford an exceptional panorama of the…
0.06 MILES
Opened in 1882, this museum traces the evolution of humankind through artefacts gathered from around the world. Fascinating pieces on display include a…
0.07 MILES
Located in the western wing of Palais de Chaillot, the Maritime Museum examines France’s naval adventures from the 17th century until the present day, and…
0.14 MILES
Paris’ aquarium, on the eastern side of the Jardins du Trocadéro, has a shark tank and 500-odd fish species to entertain families on rainy days. Three…
5. Musée Guimet des Arts Asiatiques
0.28 MILES
Connoisseurs of Japanese ink paintings and Tibetan thangkas won't want to miss the Musée Guimet, the largest Asian art museum in France. Observe the…
0.36 MILES
The often overlooked Hôtel Heidelbach holds some of the Musée Guimet's Asian art collection and is comprised primarily of Chinese furniture and teaware,…
0.39 MILES
The Tokyo Palace, created for the 1937 Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (International Exposition of Art and…
0.41 MILES
There are different ways to experience the Eiffel Tower, from a daytime trip or an evening ascent amid twinkling lights, to a meal in one of its…