Museums to visit in post-confinement Paris

Even though many aspects of our pre-confinement life have to wait, life is slowly coming back to Paris. While restaurants, bars, and cafes mostly still remain closed, several small-sized Pasian museums are reopening after the quarantine.

Le Musée de l’Illusion (opened on May 11)

The newly opened Museum of Illusions is the first one on our list and probably the most bizarre one. This unique museum will make you question reliance on your senses because nothing there is what it seems to be as its only purpose is to trick your mind. Yet, it’s not only visually entertaining but also educational, so if you want to discover a bit of science in a fun way, that’s the place to visit.

Safety measures: online reservation is highly recommended, but not mandatory. Entry is limited to 70 people a day (ten one-hour visits per day). The museum’s rooms are additionally prepared according to ensure maximum safety (regular disinfection of surfaces, social distancing floor signs, etc.).

L’Institut Giacometti (opened on May 15)

If you haven’t visited the Giacometti Institute yet (we described it here), now’s the time. The museum is located in a four-floor art déco hôtel, right in the heart of artsy Montparnasse, where Giacometti lived and worked. Aside from visiting his atelier, you can also see a temporary exhibition devoted to little-known and unpublished works of Giacometti. The exhibition In Search of Lost Works is running until June 21. 

Safety measures: obligatory online reservation (visitors are required to download or print tickets before their visit), hydroalcoholic gel available at the museum, visitors are required to wear masks and keep a distance of 1,5 meters between each other.

L’Atelier des Lumières (opened on May 26)

The Atelier des Lumières is rediscovering classic artworks in a very innovative way. Situated in a historical foundry, the digital art center, is using 2000 square meters of space to display well-known paintings on its walls and floors. The current screening program (running until January 3, 2021) includes exhibitions Monet, Renoir… Chagall. Journeys around the Mediterranean and Yves Klein: infinite blue. For those who always dreamed of immersing themselves in beautiful masterpieces of renowned artists, The Atelier des Lumières will be the perfect idea for a lazy post-quarantine afternoon. 

Safety measures: obligatory online reservation (groups are not allowed), temperature control at the entrance, hydroalcoholic gel available at the museum, visitors are required to wear masks and keep a distance of 1 meter between each other.

Le Musée Jacquemart-André (opened on May 26)

The museum offers a vast collection assembled by artist Nélie Jacquemart and her husband Edouard André, which is one of the richest art collections in Paris. The museum is located in an exquisite residence situated on Boulevard Hausmann. The museum’s collection brings together the greatest masters of painting, from the Italian Renaissance to the 18th-century French school, including Flemish art, and the decorative arts of the Louis XV and Louis XVI periods. Unfortunately, due to safety reasons, some of the rooms are not accessible.

However, visitors have an exceptional opportunity to see a temporary exhibition organized in collaboration with the Tate gallery. The exhibition Turner, paintings, and watercolors presents a major retrospective of the oeuvre of Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851). The exhibition is running until July 20.

Safety measures: obligatory online reservation (groups are not allowed), temperature control at the entrance, hydroalcoholic gel available at the museum, visitors are required to wear masks and keep a distance of 1 meter between each other. Visits are limited to one hour.