10+ Hidden Gem Museums in Paris Worth Visiting

Last Updated on 10th July 2026 by Charlotte Nadeau

This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.

If you’re not usually a museum person, or you find the larger ones like the Louvre a tad overwhelming, then don’t worry. Paris has plenty of smaller, more intimate museums that are anything but. From offering a unique glimpse into the city’s art, history, and culture to focusing on unique and niche subjects, the City of Light has something for everyone.

Montmartre Museum (Musée de Montmartre)

12 Rue Cortot, 75018 Paris

Purchase your Musée de Montmartre ticket here.

Montmartre museum (otherwise known as Musée de Montmartre in French) may well be one of my favourites of all the small museums in the city of love. Situated at number 12 Rue Cortot, the museum was formerly a residence and meeting place for prominent artists such as Renoir, Bernard, and Valadon.

During the springtime, the little garden behind the museum (which can only be visited with a museum ticket) is filled with stunning blossoms and offers an unparalleled view onto the Clos Montmartre, i.e. the Montmartre vineyard.

Daily 10:00 – 19:00 | Metro Lamarck-Caulaincourt/Abbesses

The Rodin Museum (Musée Rodin)

77 Rue de Varenne, 75007

Purchase your Rodin museum tickets here.

One of my favourite museums in Paris has to be that of Rodin’s museum, a house and gardens that delve into the sculptor’s impressive works. Auguste Rodin is perhaps best known for his iconic sculpture “The Thinker”, a bronze, pensive-looking man who sits with his fist to his chin, ardently thinking. Well, this statue is conveniently permenantly located in the museum gardens.

Another famous work, which has quite a backstory, is the Monument to Balzac. In fact, this sculpture, which was commissioned in 1898, is one of art history’s funniest scandals! The statue was famously rejected for looking like a “snowman” or a “sack of coal”…and wandering around the museum you can truly understand how many attempts Rodin took to draw Balzac, which is rather funny considering.

Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:30 | Metro Varenne

Balzac’s Home (Maison de Balzac)

47 rue Raynouard, 75016

Speaking of Balzac, you can actually visit the French novelist and playwright’s former home. While born in Tours, Honoré de Balzac actually spent much of his life living in Paris (he had 11 Parisian residences in total). Located at 47 rue Raynouard in the 16th arrondissement, the only surviving home of the writer has since been transformed into a museum. Here, you can find around 2300 items, including trinkets, sculptures, paintings, prints, manuscripts, engravings, drawings, photographs, printing equipment, etc.

It’s also got a very unexpected, yet stunning view of the Eiffel Tower. So it’s no wonder this literary pioneer felt so inspired!

Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 | Metro Passy

Counterfeit Museum (Musée de la Contrefaçon)

16 Rue de la Faisanderie, 75116

In a city known for luxury and high-end goods, it can’t be at all surprising that there is a large demand for high-quality fake goods. The counterfeit museum was created in 1951 by a group of manufacturers.

As buying counterfeit goods is actually illegal- even for a counterfeit museum-, the museum relies on donations only. Objects in the museum collection range from counterfeited Rodin bronzes to car parts to dictionaries.

Tuesday- Sunday 14:00- 17:30 | Metro Porte Dauphine

Paris Sewer Museum (Musée des Égouts de Paris)

Pont de l’Alma, 75007

Paris’ sewers are unique in the World. There have been sewers in Paris since the early 1300s, making them some of the oldest and most unique in the World. In popular fiction, the Parisian sewer system has been mentioned multiple times, including in Victor Hugo’s world-famous novel ‘Les Miserables’.

If you’re wondering what it’s like to visit Paris’ underbelly, here’s a quick guide to the Musée des Égouts. The Paris sewer museum is currently closed for renovations and is due to be reopened at the beginning of 2020.

May- September 11:00 -18:00 / October- March 11:00 – 17:00 | Metro Alma/ Marceau Line 9

Museum of Romantics (Musée de la Vie Romantique)

16 Rue Chaptal, 75009

If Paris really is the land of love, then what better place to find a museum named ‘The Romantics museum‘?! There are two artist’s ateliers and a number of works of art to see.

The house museum really captures the spirit of Montmartre and is the perfect place to spend an afternoon… Of all the small museums in Paris included in this article, the Musée de la Vie Romantique is easily my favourite…

Tuesday- Sunday, 10:00- 18:00 | Metro Saint-Georges/ Pigalle/ Blanche

Fairground Museum (Musée des Arts Forains)

 53 Avenue des Terroirs de France, 75012

This private museum has one of the world’s largest collections of fairground rides, attractions and other fairground themed art. As such, the museum is a treasure trove of vintage fairground rides and there’s even the opportunity to ride on some of them!

Opening hours: This is a private museum accessible by appointment only. More details can be found here. | Metro Cour Saint-Émilion

59 Rue de Rivoli

59 Rue de Rivoli, 75001

This one isn’t necessarily a museum but actually an artist’s atelier in the very heart of the city. There are 20 permanent artists in residence as well as 10 artists who are on 3-6 month contracts.

Every weekend, concerts are held, thus meaning that no two visits to 59 Rue de Rivoli will be the same. If this isn’t enough to convince you that the place is worth a visit, maybe the fact that up to 4000 people a week visit will.

After all, that many visitors can’t be wrong. If you need even more convincing, then here’s what a trip to 59 Rue de Rivoli is really like! The art space is free to visit but donations are always welcome.

Tuesday- Sunday, 11:00: 20:00 | Metro Chatelet

Serge Gainsbourg’s Home (Maison Gainsbourg)

14 Rue de Verneuil, 75007 Paris, France

If you want to visit a museum dedicated solely to the legendary French musician Serge Gainsbourg, you’ll do well to visit his former home. Discretely tucked away on a side street, not all too far from the River Seine on the Left Bank, this former home, now museum, is concealed by a constantly evolving layer of street art, love letters, and graffiti left by fans.

Step inside, and you’ll see that the interior is almost immaculately preserved exactly as the artist left it in 1991, providing an excellent visual time capsule of the singer’s life here in Paris. Serge Gainsbourg lived in Paris for nearly his entire life and continues to be a profoundly beloved cultural icon in France, revered for elevating pop lyrics to high art – so his house it an absolute must see when visiting the City of Light!

Open 09:30–22:30 on Wednesday and Friday, 09:30–21:00 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 09:30–20:00 on Sunday, and closed on Monday | Metro Saint-Germain-des-Prés/ Rue de Brac

Museum of Magic (Musée de la Magie)

11 Rue Saint-Paul, 75004

Situated in the heart of le Marais, the museum of magic not only contains all objects magic related, but also puts on regular shows, making it one of the best small museums in Paris. The private museum is housed in the cellars of the house that once belonged to Marquis de Sade- a French aristocrat and politician.

Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, 14:00- 19:00 | Metro Saint-Paul

Musée Jacquemart André

158 Bd Haussmann, 75008

There’s a museum in Paris’s oh so chic that you would never believe it was once a home. The former mansion house was first opened to the public in 1913 and has been impressing visitors for well over a century. Highlights of the 8e arrondissement residence include an impressive Italian Renaissance art collection and plenty of sumptuous. French furniture.

All Week, 10:00- 18:00 (Monday 10:00 – 20:30) | Metro Miromesnil

Victor Hugo’s House (Maison Victor Hugo)

6 Place des Vosges, 75004

Situated in the exclusive Place des Vosges in the very heart of Le Marais, Victor Hugo lived at No. 6. The Les Miserables and Hunchback of Notre Dame author lived here between 1832-1849 before his exile to Jersey and Guernsey in 1851 (due to his staunch support for Napoleon I).

Hugo’s ashes are now interred in the Pantheon and the permanent collections in the museum itself are free to visit. If you’re looking to experience the 5e arrondissement like a local, while visiting the Maison Victor Hugo, then here’s a self-guided walking tour of Le Marais.

Tuesday- Sunday, 10:00- 18:00 | Metro Saint-Paul

Museum of Medical History (Musée d’histoire de la médecine)

12 Rue de l’École de Médecine

Not for the faint-hearted, this small medical museum can be found located in the 6th arrondissement, on the second floor of the historic École de Médecine building (which is now part of Paris Cité University). This niche museum, as you can probably assume, uncovers the fascinating, albeit slightly macabre, history of all things medical.

Set within a stunning 1905 wooden panelled hall, this museum houses one of Europe’s oldest collections of surgical and diagnostic instruments. Some of the highlights you can see include the actual scalpel used in 1686 to cure the Sun King’s infamous anal fistula, and Napoleon’s very own personal autopsy kit!

Open 2:00–5:30 pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; closed Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Free museum Sunday

If you didn’t already know, then it’s worth knowing that on the first Sunday of every month, a lot of museums and galleries across Paris are actually free to visit. This is, namely, the larger national ones, but some smaller museums take part too. So, if you happen to be visiting during this time, I recommend trying to take advantage of this.

That being said, you should check in advance, as not all museums are part. It’s also worth noting that everyone takes advantage of this offer, and so there are typically long queues and wait times, so be sure to head early to avoid as much of this as possible.

More tips for visiting Paris

Consider purchasing the Paris Pass

If you’re looking to visit a number of different museums and cultural attractions, then you might end up saving money by purchasing the Paris Pass. This 2,4, or 6-day pass gives you access to over 60 museums, and in many cases, offers skip-the-line options at many of these institutions. Check prices and more information here.

Wear comfortable shoes

When visiting any European capital city, comfortable shoes are a must. This is especially true of areas like Montmartre and Le Marais where cobbled lanes can be found in abundance.

I personally recommend these shoes as they go well with both jeans and dresses. I would also add that any kind of tennis shoes, i.e. ones like these, are really practical for wandering around the city.

Book your Paris accommodation well in advance

If you’re planning a trip to Paris, then you should bear in mind that it’s an extremely popular destination all year round. This means that you should probably book your hotel/ hostel/ guest house well in advance. You can find the best deals for Paris accommodation here.

Enjoyed reading about the best small museums in Paris? Pin it now, read it again later: