The Musée Gustave Moreau, the painter's timeless home and studio in Paris

You're probably familiar with the Musée Gustave Moreau, famous for its refined, majestic spiral staircase on the second floor of 14 rue de la Rochefoucauld, in Paris's 9th arrondissement. But this house-museum also conceals numerous works by the little-known Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau, in the very heart of his former apartments. This pretty, provincial-style house contains the painter's living quarters, as well as his studios, where his large-scale canvases are displayed, one on top of the other, in an astonishingly atmospheric setting.

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His work is eclectic, featuring mainly mythological figures in reference scenes. A devout believer, he sought to transpose into his works"all the aspirations of dream, tenderness, love, enthusiasm and religious elevation to the higher spheres" , inviting the curious to reverie in order to draw closer to God. During his lifetime, the Parisian artist wished to bring his paintings together here, refurbishing the family home as early as 1895, three years before his death.

The studios on the 2nd and 3rd floors, as well as the apartment on the second floor, have been preserved in their original state, inviting us to enter the artist's world and daily life. You'll discover some 400 paintings and a unique collection ofwatercolors as you make your way up this jewel of a staircase. The second floor, where he lived happily with his family, features period furniture in the bedroom, boudoir and dining room.

The museum is open every day except Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To visit the museum at your leisure, book your tickets in advance: full admission is 7 euros, reduced admission is 5 euros, and under-26s are free. Free admission on the first Sunday of every month! To get to the Musée Gustave Moreau, take metro line 12 and get off at Trinité, Saint-Georges or Pigalle. Unfortunately, the museum is not wheelchair accessible.

Ready to discover this unique little museum?

Nuit des musées 2024 at the Musée Gustave Moreau in Paris: a free nocturne
Nuit des Musées 2024 celebrates its 20th edition at the Musée Gustave Moreau in Paris on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Discover the program that awaits us this year! [Read more]