Buy skip-the-line tickets online to visit the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris to see the museum with the world’s largest collection of Monet paintings.
The Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris has the most extensive collection of Claude Monet paintings in the world including the very painting that the Impressionist movement was named after. The museum has works by all major Impressionist artists including the collection of Berthe Morisot — the first female member of the movement. Further collections include the original Empire and Restoration works of the Marmottan family and a large collection of medieval illuminations. The museum is very popular and buying tickets online with time-slot reservations is highly advisable to visit during holidays and weekends.
Collections in the Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris
The Musée Marmottan Monet is in a former hunting lodge (with modern underground galleries) near the Bois de Bologne in Paris. It is world-famous for its extensive Claude Monet collection including Impression, Sunrise — the painting that “named” the Impressionist movement — but it has several further world-class collections.
The original collection focused on Empire and Restoration periods that were admired by Jules Marmottan (1829-1883) and his son Paul (1856-1932), who expanded the collection and donated all the art and the villa in which the Musée Marmottan was founded in 1934. The museum took a decisive turn towards the impressionists when it received the large Georges de Bellio Collection that included the famous Impression, soleil levant. In 1966, the Musée Marmottan inherited the world’s biggest Monet collection from the painter’s son Michel. The Musée Marmottan Monet also owns the largest collection of works by Berthe Morisot — the first female Impressionist.
In complete contrast is the collection of medieval and early Renaissance illuminations — a display of astonishing quality.
Visiting the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris
The Musée Marmottan Monet is housed in a former 19th-century hunting lodge that became the Hôtel Particulier de Paul Marmottan. The usual visitor’s route starts at the displays of Empire and Restoration period furniture, furnishings, and art on the ground floor and first floor of the villa.
The wonderful collection of illuminations is displayed on the first floor. As is the collection of Berthe Morisot, which alone makes it essential for lovers of the Impressionists to tour through the whole house.
If time is limited, visitors could rush via the temporary exhibitions on the ground floor to reach the modern exhibition space in the basement where the paintings are displayed that most visitors came to see: the Impressionist collection and a large selection of works by Claude Monet, including many waterlilies.
The high-quality temporary exhibitions change usually twice per year and the themes or artists covered may be completely different from the main exhibitions in this pleasant museum.
Empire and Restoration Periods
The collections of Jules and Paul Marmottan are displayed in the villa where they lived, which in their time was still on the outskirts of Paris. Jules favored German, Flemish, and Italian primitives, while Paul collected paintings, drawings, prints, books, sculptures (Ganymede, Amor and Psyche inspired by Canova), furniture, and decorative art items from especially the Empire and Restoration periods.
Much of the historic villa is furnished with these collections as it would have been while Paul Marmottan lived here. He was an art historian, so the display is not necessarily typical for Paris of the period.
The eclectic collection is of high quality and few would regret spending time here before heading for the Monets. Whatever the taste in art, few home-office workers would fail to envy the Bureau de Paul Marmottan.
Illuminations
The Musée Marmottan Monet has a surprisingly large and good collection of illuminations. In 1980, Daniel Wildenstein donated 300 illuminations by mostly French, Italian, English, and Flemish artists to the museum.
These illuminations from the Middle Ages to the Early Renaissance are displayed on the first floor of the villa. Have a close-up look — many have astonishing details.
Berthe Morisot Collection
The donation of the Berthe Morisot collection left the Musée Marmottan Monet with not only the largest collection of works by this talented artist but also a significant number of Impressionist works owned by her. The collection includes 25 canvasses and around 50 further watercolors, prints, and drawings.
Berthe Morisot (1841-1895) was the first female Impressionist and was considered the finest watercolor painter of her day. She was a close friend of amongst others Corot, Degas, Renoir, Monet, and Éduard Manet — she eventually married his brother Eugène. Their daughter Julie Manet was her frequent model — her life from childhood to a young woman is well covered in the museum long before Facebook or Instagram became things.
The most famous work from her collection is Portrait de Berthe Morisot Étendue, 1873, by Éduard Manet — a highly praised portrait painting. It is considered one of the best portraits from the late 19th century.
Impressionists and Monet Paintings in the Marmottan Museum in Paris
The highlights of the museum, and the reason for visiting for most travelers, are in the modern basement exhibition space. A small “new exhibitions” space seems to leave many visitors confused and bemused but the wonderful Impressionist paintings are displayed in a large Monet Hall that reminds of the Orangerie and further spaces with works by Monet and other artists.
The most famous work in the museum is Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise) painted by Claude Monet in 1872. The painting gave the name to the movement and paintings by many members are on display including amongst others Auguste Renoir (Portrait of Claude Monet), Manet, Pissaro, Sisley, Gauguin, and Morisot.
Works by Monet here include examples of his studies of Rouen Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament in London, the Tuileries, Gare Saint Lazare, and D’Argenteuil.
Many of Monet’s paintings of waterlilies and his beloved garden in Giverny are displayed in a curvy hall purposely designed to remind of the Orangerie, where the even larger waterlilies paintings are on display.
Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris Visitors’ Information
Marmottan Monet Museum Opening Hours
The Musée Marmottan Monet is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, closing at 21:00 on Thursday. The last admission is an hour before closing.
First thing in the morning, late afternoon, or Thursday evenings are often the quietest times to visit but time-slot reservation tickets are sensible, especially on weekends and holidays.
Musée Marmottan Monet Tickets
Admission tickets to the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris are around €14 (€10 for under 18s and students under 25). The admission price depends on the temporary exhibition, which is always included and cannot be visited independently of the main museum. The Musée Marmottan Monet is one of only a few venues where the Paris Museum Pass is not accepted.
Time-slot reservation tickets are not essential but are generally a good skip-the-line option — pass the slow-moving ticket line and go directly to the gallery entrance. On weekends, school, summer, and Christmas holidays, online tickets are highly advisable. Private guided tours are sometimes offered in English while the audio guide is also useful to highlight the top works. The main descriptions in the museum are in English but individual works are often described only in French.
Transportation to the Musée Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris
The Musée Marmottan Monet, 2 Rue Louis-Boilly, 75016 Paris, is in the west of central Paris near the famous Bois de Bologne. Although there are bus stops closer to the museum, for most visitors the simplest way to get to the museum is to use Metro Line 9 to La Muette station. From here it is a pleasant 10-minute walk through the Jardin du Ranelagh park to the museum.
Alternatively, if near the RER Line C such as Musée d’Orsay, use Gare de Boulainvilliers station, which is around a 15-minute walk from the Marmottan.
If using the bus, buses 32 and 70 from central Paris stop at Avenue Ingres (south of the Ranelagh park). Buses are more convenient when traveling from the museum back to central Paris. Bus stop Louis-Boilly is directly in front of the museum — bus 32 goes directly to La Muette metro station while bus 70 stops one block away at Chausee de la Muette.
Buy Online Tickets for Top Museums in Paris
It is possible to buy tickets online for most museums and top sights in Paris. Time-slot reservations are highly advisable and generally a sound investment. Also, look for discounts if buying more than one ticket from the same reseller:
- Louvre Museum
- Musée d’Orsay
- Centre Pompidou
- World of Banksy
- Musée Rodin
- Musée de l’Orangerie
- Musée Picasso
- Espace Dali Paris
- Musée Marmottan Monet
- Eiffel Tower
- Arc de Triomphe
- Sainte Chapelle
- Opera Garnier
- Palace of Versailles
- Disneyland Paris
