The museums of the 7th arrondissement: the five we recommend, and when to visit

By Derby Eiffel Hotel · October 12, 2026

• Musée d'Orsay

  · 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 7th, along the Seine · Admission ticket, prices on the official website

  The former Gare d'Orsay, turned into the museum of the Impressionists, beneath a 1900 glass canopy. It's the one people cross an ocean for, so it's also the one with the longest lines. Two things to remember: it's closed on Mondays, and on Thursdays it stays open until 9:45 pm, with the ticket desk closing at 9 pm. We recommend Thursday evening without hesitation. The top-floor galleries empty out after 7 pm, and you'll see the paintings instead of people's backs. If you can only go during the day, aim for opening time rather than the afternoon.

• Musée Rodin

  · 77 rue de Varenne, 7th, behind Les Invalides · Museum and garden ticket, prices on the official website

  The Hôtel Biron, where Rodin worked, and its garden where the bronzes are placed. It's the most pleasant in the neighborhood in fine weather, because a good half of the visit takes place outdoors, seated, with no one rushing you. Closed January 1, May 1, and December 25. If you only have an hour, get the garden-only ticket and tour the sculptures: it's a complete visit in itself. Pair it with Les Invalides, which is on the other side of the block.

• Musée du quai Branly Jacques Chirac

  · 37 quai Branly, 7th, between the Seine and the Eiffel Tower · Admission ticket, prices on the official website

  The arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, in a Jean Nouvel building lined with a living wall on the quay side. The museography is dark and winding, which people either love or don't: go if you're okay with being a little lost, skip it if you want straight lines and neatly aligned labels. On Thursdays, it stays open until 10 pm. It's our usual answer to the question "what to do on a rainy Thursday evening," and it's right by the Champ de Mars.

• Musée de l'Armée, Hôtel national des Invalides

  · Hôtel national des Invalides, 7th, at the end of avenue Duquesne · Single ticket: museum, Dome, and Napoleon's tomb

  It's our neighbor: our avenue runs alongside the complex, and the golden dome is what many of our guests see first when they step out in the morning. The ticket covers the military collections and the Dome, where Napoleon's tomb is located. The classic mistake is to start with the armor and arrive at the Dome exhausted: do the opposite. We've detailed the visit order and prices on a separate page, worth reading before you buy your ticket.

• Musée Maillol

  · 61 rue de Grenelle, 7th · €19.90 full price for the current exhibition, €17.90 for ages 65 and over

  The only one of the five without a permanent collection on view year-round: it is a temporary exhibition space, and it closes between shows. So be sure to check that an exhibition is actually running before you head over, that's the catch with this place. Open daily from 10:30am to 6:30pm, late opening on Wednesdays until 10pm. The format is short, an hour and a half is enough, which makes it a great end-of-day option when the larger museums have already closed their ticket desks.