© David Lefranc
The Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower is undoubtedly one of the premier cultural institutions of Paris. Instantly recognizable because of its lush plant wall designed by the botanist Patrick Blanc, it opened in 2006, and focuses on non-European cultures. Boasting a theatre, a reading room, a cinema, 2 restaurants and a bookshop, the building designed by the famed architect Jean Nouvel is situated in grounds resembling a cultivated wilderness, and its 2-hectare garden is a pleasant spot in which to relax after the visit.
The permanent collection and temporary expositions at the Musée du quai Branly pay homage to the wealth of traditional arts and educate visitors about their significant contribution to world heritage. With an extraordinarily rich collection of 700,000 photographs and 300,000 artefacts and objects – musical instruments, fabrics, clothing – from Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Americas, the museum takes visitors on an eclectic and fascinating voyage of discovery into the cultures of distant lands across the centuries.
The temporary exhibitions at the quai Branly offer a highly original perspective on the cultures that make up their themes. They are offset against contemporary Western civilization to make them more familiar and accessible, while preserving the mystical aspect that makes them endlessly fascinating.
Useful information
From 10:30am to 7pm. From 10:30am to 10pm Thursday.
Garden opening times: from 9.15am to 7.30pm. From 9.15am to 10.15pm Thursday.
Closed on Monday.
37 quai Jacques Chirac, Paris 7th
