Musée Marmottan Monet

The Marmottan Monet Museum, located in the 16th arrondissement, is one of the most interesting museums in Paris.

Art historian Paul Marmottan donated his building and art collection to the Académie des beaux-arts in 1932. In addition to the Jules and Paul Marmottan collection, the museum has the world’s largest collection of works by French Impressionist painter Claude Monet, including the painting Impression, soleil levant, from which the Impressionism art movement derives its name.

Things to do at the Marmottan Monet Museum

In 1882, Jules Marmottan, head of the mines and transport company, bought a Parisian villa. Wealthy and an art lover, he began collecting paintings. His son Paul continued in this direction, specialising his collection in the art of the Consulate and the Empire.

The Building

It was Paul Marmottan himself, a great collector, who bequeathed the Academy of Fine Arts the private building that today houses the museum that bears his name. Opened to the public in 1934, his important Empire collection was initially exhibited there.

Today, the building, decorated with Empire-style furniture, decorative elements from the Napoleonic era, herringbone parquet floors and crystal chandeliers, continues to be enriched thanks to numerous donations, in particular the priceless one from Michel Monet, the artist’s second son.

The museum

The museum is divided into three levels, the ground floor houses the collection of old art, the first floor houses the works of the Fondation Denis et Annie Rouart and the basement houses Monet’s masterpieces.

To go to the Marmottan Monet Museum is to experience a fascinating journey back in time. This splendid residence offers the public a unique opportunity to admire, in a specially designed room, a collection of almost 100 paintings by Claude Monet, some of the most famous of the master of Impressionism. Starting with the emblematic Impression, Soleil levant, a painting whose title is at the origin of the name given to the famous artistic movement.

Bequeathed by the artist’s family, the works come from the painter’s home in Giverny and are presented in a 200 m2 space specially dedicated to the master’s paintings. Canvases he painted in Normandy such as Rouen Cathedral can be admired. Sun Effect, End of Day, in Paris(Le Pont de l’Europe-Gare Saint-Lazare), or in London(London, the Parliament, Reflections on the Thames) and, of course, in Giverny(Japanese Bridge), before discovering an incomparable suite of Water Lilies. Alongside these masterpieces are the artist’s sketchbooks, his palettes, letters, photographs and personal objects .

The artistic journey does not stop here. Around Monet we find all the great names of Impressionist painting, who contribute to making this museum an essential place in this field. In all the rooms you can admire works by Eugène Boudin, Camille Corot, Caillebotte, Paul Gauguin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, Auguste Rodin, Paul Signac or Édouard Manet.

Tickets and opening hours

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission at 5 p.m.) and on Thursday evenings until 9 p.m. (last admission at 8 p.m.). Closed to the public every Monday, 1 May, 25 December and 1 January.

How to reach the Marmottan Monet Museum

Located in the former hunting lodge of the Duke of Valmy, the Marmottan Monet Museum is located near the Bois de Boulogne between Porte de la Muette and Porte de Passy.

It can be easily reached by public transport, using the metro, line 9, La Muette or Ranelagh stop, or the RER C, Boulainvilliers stop.

Alternatively, you can choose one of the many buses that stop in the area:

• line 22, stop: La Muette – Boulainvilliers
• line 32, stop: Louis Boilly or Ranelagh
• line 52, stop: La Muette – Boulainvilliers
• line 63, stop: Porte de La Muette Line 70, stop: Louis-Boilly
• line PC 1, stop: Ernest Hébert or Porte de Passy