{"id":1442,"date":"2026-06-10T23:25:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T21:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horscadre.paris\/marmottan-monet-museum-what-to-see-hours-tickets\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T06:59:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T04:59:02","slug":"marmottan-monet-museum-what-to-see-hours-tickets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horscadre.paris\/en\/marmottan-monet-museum-what-to-see-hours-tickets\/","title":{"rendered":"Marmottan Monet Museum \u2014 What to See, Hours, Tickets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Onthe edge of the Bois de Boulogne<\/strong>, in the peaceful Ranelagh neighborhood<\/strong> (16th arrondissement of Paris), a former<\/strong> Empire-style mansion<\/strong> houses one of the world\u2019s most valuable collections<\/strong> of Impressionist art. The Marmottan Monet Museum<\/strong> houses the world\u2019s largest collection of works by Claude Monet<\/strong> \u2014more than 100 paintings<\/strong>, includingthe iconic <\/strong>Impression, Sunrise<\/em><\/strong> (1872), the painting that gave its name to the<\/strong> Impressionist movement<\/strong>. It also houses the world\u2019s largest collection of works by Berthe Morisot<\/strong> \u2014more than 25 paintings<\/strong> and numerous drawings bequeathed by the painter\u2019s descendants. <\/p>\n\n

The museum has been open to the public since 1934<\/strong>, housed in a building steeped in history<\/strong>: the<\/strong> former hunting lodge of<\/strong> the 3rd Duke of Valmy, purchased in 1882 by the collector Jules Marmottan<\/strong> and converted into an Empire-style mansion<\/strong> by his son Paul Marmottan<\/strong>, an art historian, who bequeathed it tothe Acad\u00e9mie des Beaux-Arts<\/strong> in 1932 along with his medieval, Renaissance, and First Empire collections. Successive bequests<\/strong> \u2014Donop de Monchy in 1957, Michel Monet in 1966<\/strong>, Daniel Wildenstein in 1980, Nelly Duhem in 1985, Denis and Annie Rouart in 1993<\/strong> \u2014have gradually transformed<\/strong> this Empire-style museum into a Parisian temple of Impressionism<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

This article serves as a guide to your visit to the Marmottan Monet Museum: the building\u2019s history<\/strong>, must-see works<\/strong>, 2026 hours and admission prices<\/strong>, visitor tips<\/strong>, current exhibitions<\/strong>, frequently asked questions<\/strong>, and the surrounding area<\/strong>. Also worth noting is a remarkable episode in the museum\u2019s history\u2014the armed robbery on October 27, 1985<\/strong>, in which nine masterpieces<\/strong> (including *Impression, Sunrise*<\/em>) were stolen from the institution before their dramatic recovery in Corsica five years later<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

The Marmottan Monet Museum at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n
\n\n
Address<\/td>2 Rue Louis Boilly, 75016 Paris<\/td><\/tr>
Subway<\/td>La Muette, Line 9<\/td><\/tr>
Hours<\/td>Tue\u2013Sun 10 a.m.\u20136 p.m., Thursday evenings until 9:00 p.m., closed Mondays<\/td><\/tr>
Rates<\/td>\u20ac14 at the door<\/td><\/tr>
Official Website<\/td>marmottan.fr<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n
\n\n

The Story of a Hunting Lodge That Became a Mecca for Impressionism<\/h2>\n\n
\n\n

The history of the Marmottan Monet Museum begins long before Impressionism<\/strong>. In the early 19th century, the building that now houses the museum was nothing more than a modest hunting lodge<\/strong> owned by Fran\u00e7ois-Christophe-Edmond Kellermann<\/strong>, 3rd Duke of Valmy<\/strong> (1802\u20131868). The lodge, located on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne<\/strong> (which was then the hunting ground of the Parisian aristocracy), served as a meeting point<\/strong> for the game hunts<\/strong> that took place there regularly. <\/p>\n\n

1882<\/strong>: The property was purchased<\/strong> by Jules Marmottan<\/strong> (1829\u20131883), a<\/strong> prosperous industrialist and businessman<\/strong> who was a passionate collector<\/strong> of medieval and Renaissance art. Jules Marmottan began transforming<\/strong> the modest country house into a<\/strong> more comfortable family home<\/strong>, but died the following year before seeing the work completed. <\/p>\n\n

The building and the art collection passed to his only son, Paul Marmottan<\/strong> (1856\u20131932), an art historian<\/strong> specializing in the Napoleonic period and the First Empire<\/strong>. Paul Marmottan<\/strong> completely transformed<\/strong> the pavilion he inherited from his father. Heexpanded it<\/strong> in the Empire style<\/strong>, had new rooms built<\/strong>, redesigned the gardens<\/strong>, and installed his own collection<\/strong> there\u2014 Empire-style furniture<\/strong>, bronzes<\/strong>, 18th- and 19th-century paintings<\/strong>, and works of art<\/strong> gathered over thirty years of collecting<\/strong>. In Paris during the years 1900\u20131920, the residence became one of the capital\u2019s great private mansions<\/strong>, comparable in style<\/strong> to the Jacquemart-Andr\u00e9 Museum<\/strong> (opened in 1913).<\/p>\n\n

1932<\/strong>: Paul Marmottan, having no direct descendants<\/strong>, bequeathed<\/strong> the building<\/strong>, its collections<\/strong>, and its furnishings<\/strong> in his will tothe Acad\u00e9mie des Beaux-Arts<\/strong> \u2014an institution of which he had been a member since 1925. He stipulated<\/strong> that the building must be open to the public<\/strong> as a museum<\/strong>, in keeping<\/strong> with the organization and spirit he had instilled in his home. <\/p>\n\n

1934<\/strong>: The Marmottan Museum<\/strong> officially opened to the public. The first decade<\/strong> was marked by modest attendance<\/strong> \u2014at the time, the museum was a specialized Empire-style museum<\/strong>, devoted primarily to Paul Marmottan\u2019s collections<\/strong> (Napoleonic furniture, objets d\u2019art, and 18th- and 19th-century paintings). <\/p>\n\n

The Impressionist era began in 1957<\/strong> with the bequest from Victorine Donop de Monchy<\/strong> \u2014daughter of Dr. Georges de Bellio<\/strong>, a physician and collector<\/strong> who was a friend of the Impressionists. Dr. de Bellio had treated Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, and Manet, and had acquired several of their works directly in exchange for his medical care. The Donop de Monchy bequest includes, notably, *Impression, Sunrise*<\/em><\/strong> by Claude Monet (1872)\u2014a work that would henceforth remain the<\/strong> museum\u2019s defining treasure<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

1966<\/strong>: The turning point<\/strong>. Michel Monet<\/strong> (1878\u20131966), the youngest son and last direct descendant<\/strong> of Claude Monet, died without an heir<\/strong>. In his will<\/strong>, he bequeathed<\/strong> to the Acad\u00e9mie des Beaux-Arts\u2014and thus to the Marmottan Museum\u2014 the entirety of the personal collection<\/strong> he had inherited from his father upon Claude Monet\u2019s death in 1926<\/strong> \u2014 more than 100 paintings<\/strong>, drawings<\/strong>, sketchbooks<\/strong>, and personal belongings<\/strong> of the painter. Among the works: an exceptional collection of the great <\/strong>Late Water Lilies<\/em><\/strong> from Giverny (1914\u20131926), several versions of the Japanese Bridge<\/em><\/strong>, scenes of the Seine<\/strong>, and views of London<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

This donation by Michel Monet<\/strong> radically<\/strong> transformed the museum\u2019s identity. The institution , renamed the \u201cMus\u00e9e Marmottan Monet,\u201d<\/strong> instantly became the world\u2019s leading collection<\/strong> of works by Claude Monet\u2014 surpassing<\/strong> the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Orsay, the Metropolitan Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A Carlu Gallery<\/strong> was set up in the basement<\/strong> to house the large-format<\/strong> Water Lilies. <\/p>\n\n

1980<\/strong>: Another major bequest\u2014 Daniel Wildenstein<\/strong> (1917\u20132001), an art dealer and historian, donated to the museum<\/strong> the collection of medieval illuminations<\/strong> assembled by his father, Georges Wildenstein<\/strong>. More than 200 illuminated manuscripts<\/strong> from the French, English, Flemish, and Italian schools<\/strong> dating from the 13th to the 15th centuries. The Wildenstein Gallery<\/strong> was designed to display them. <\/p>\n\n

1985<\/strong>: Bequest from Nelly Sergeant-Duhem<\/strong>, the adopted daughter of the Post-Impressionist painter Henri Duhem<\/strong>. Works by Gauguin, Renoir, Guillaumin, Carri\u00e8re, and the Monet painting *Promenade \u00e0 Argenteuil*<\/em><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

1993 and 1996<\/strong>: the bequests from Denis and Annie Rouart<\/strong> \u2014 direct descendants of Berthe Morisot<\/strong> through her grandson Ernest Rouart (who had married Julie Manet, Berthe\u2019s daughter). More than 25 paintings<\/strong>, watercolors<\/strong>, pastels<\/strong>, and drawings<\/strong> by Berthe Morisot. As a result,<\/strong> the museum became home to the world\u2019s largest collection<\/strong> of the painter\u2019s works. The Denis and Annie Rouart Foundation<\/strong> was established within the museum in 1996 to manage these holdings. <\/p>\n\n

In less than forty years<\/strong> (1957\u20131996), Paul Marmottan\u2019s modest Empire-style museum<\/strong> transformed into a major institution<\/strong> of Impressionism worldwide. Nearly 90 years after it opened<\/strong>, the Marmottan Monet Museum now welcomes between 270,000 and 400,000 visitors annually<\/strong>, depending on the year, under the direction of \u00c9rik Desmazi\u00e8res<\/strong>, an engraver elected to the Academy of Fine Arts.<\/p>\n\n

Must-See Works<\/h2>\n\n
\n\n

The museum is organized across three<\/strong> main levels<\/strong>: the ground floor and first floor<\/strong> (the original Marmottan collections, the Empire Galleries), the basement<\/strong> (the Carlu Gallery dedicated to Monet and the large *Water Lilies*), and the Wildenstein Gallery<\/strong> (medieval illuminations). Here are the must-see works, listed in order of priority for your visit. <\/p>\n\n

1. Impression, Sunrise \u2014 Claude Monet (1872)<\/h3>\n\n

Basement, Carlu Room<\/strong>. The seminal work<\/strong> of Impressionism. Painted in Le Havre<\/strong> in November 1872, it depicts the port of Le Havre at dawn<\/strong> under a misty, orange sky<\/strong>. Three small boats are faintly visible in the mist<\/strong>; the red sun<\/strong> rises on the right, reflected in orange streaks<\/strong> on the water. The brushwork is quick<\/strong>, evocative<\/strong>, and unfinished<\/strong>. Exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibition<\/strong> in April 1874 under the title *Impression, Sunrise*<\/em>, the work drew<\/strong> ridicule from the critic Louis Leroy<\/strong> in *Le Charivari*<\/em>, who coined the term \u201cImpressionism\u201d<\/strong> to mock the group. Without realizing it, Leroy had permanently christened<\/strong> one of the major artistic movements<\/strong> in Western history.<\/p>\n\n

2. The Large Late Water Lilies \u2014 Claude Monet (1914\u20131926)<\/h3>\n\n

Basement, Carlu Room<\/strong>. Seven to ten large-scale works<\/strong> from Claude Monet\u2019s later years, painted in his garden in Giverny<\/strong> between 1914 and 1926. Monumental<\/strong> works (often 2 meters high by 4\u20135 meters wide), an explosive color palette<\/strong> (deep greens, mauves, saturated blues), and a loose brushstroke<\/strong>. These are distinct<\/strong> from the versions<\/strong> on display at the Mus\u00e9e del\u2019Orangerie<\/strong> (the oval Water Lilies<\/em> that Monet created specifically for that museum). These works are freer<\/strong> and more experimental<\/strong> \u2014Monet was suffering from advanced cataracts<\/strong> during those years and painted as much from memory and instinct<\/strong> as from direct observation. <\/p>\n\n

3. *The Train in the Snow* \u2014 Claude Monet (1875)<\/h3>\n\n

Ground floor<\/strong>. A major work<\/strong> from the high Impressionist period<\/strong>. A steam locomotive<\/strong> leaving the Argenteuil train station<\/strong> amid fresh snow<\/strong>. White steam, black smoke, snow, a hazy sun\u2014 an atmospheric study<\/strong> condensed into a single canvas. Industrial modernity<\/strong> captured by a painter who appreciated trains and train stations<\/strong> (see the series on the Gare Saint-Lazare<\/em>, painted two years later). <\/p>\n\n

4. The Japanese Bridge \u2014 Claude Monet (several versions)<\/h3>\n\n

Basement, Carlu Room<\/strong>. Several versions<\/strong> of this iconic work depicting the garden at Giverny. Monet had a Japanese bridge<\/strong> built over his water lily pond<\/strong> around 1893 and painted it numerous times<\/strong> between 1899 and 1924. The Marmottan versions date from 1918\u20131924<\/strong> \u2014featuring broad<\/strong> brushstrokes, a fiery<\/strong> orange-yellow-purple palette<\/strong>, and a blurred quality<\/strong> due to Monet\u2019s cataracts. <\/p>\n\n

5. The Berthe Morisot Collection \u2014 25 works<\/h3>\n\n

First floor, Morisot Galleries<\/strong>. The world\u2019s largest collection<\/strong> of works by Berthe Morisot\u201425 paintings, watercolors, pastels, and drawings. Highlights not to be missed include: <\/p>\n\n