{"id":1506,"date":"2026-05-18T22:40:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T20:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horscadre.paris\/bourdelle-museum-what-to-see-hours-tickets\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T22:43:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T20:43:41","slug":"bourdelle-museum-what-to-see-hours-tickets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horscadre.paris\/en\/bourdelle-museum-what-to-see-hours-tickets\/","title":{"rendered":"Bourdelle Museum \u2014 What to See, Hours, Tickets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tucked away in the heart of Montparnasse, on a quiet cul-de-sac just a stone’s throw from the train station, the Bourdelle Museum is one of Paris’s best-kept secrets. Housed in the very studio where the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle<\/strong> (1861\u20131929) worked for forty-five years, the museum features nearly 500 sculptures<\/strong>, several hundred drawings, paintings, photographs, and objects by the great master of early 20th-century French sculpture. <\/p>\n\n

A student of Rodin<\/strong> for fifteen years, a teacher of Giacometti<\/strong>, and a friend of Maillol<\/strong>, Bourdelle transformed his studio on Impasse du Maine\u2014renamed Rue Antoine Bourdelle after his death\u2014into one of Paris\u2019s premier artistic hubs. The museum, opened to the public in 1949 thanks to a bequest from his widow Cl\u00e9op\u00e2tre and his daughter Rhodia, preserves the intact atmosphere of this creative space: the sculpture studio, the gardens adorned with monumental bronzes, and the sculptor\u2019s apartment<\/strong>\u2014everything has remained exactly as it was when the master died in 1929. <\/p>\n\n

And best of all: admission to the permanent collections is free<\/strong>. This is a rarity in Paris, making this museum one of the most accessible cultural attractions in the capital. <\/p>\n\n

The Bourdelle Museum at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n
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Address<\/td>16\u201318 Rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015 Paris<\/td><\/tr>
Subway<\/td>Montparnasse-Bienven\u00fce (4, 6, 12, 13)<\/td><\/tr>
Hours<\/td>Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. \u2013 6 p.m.<\/td><\/tr>
Rates<\/td>Free (permanent collections)<\/td><\/tr>
Official Website<\/td>bourdelle.paris.fr<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n
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Must-See Works<\/h2>\n\n
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The museum is organized around four main areas<\/strong>: the sculpture studio, the grand hall, the gardens, and the sculptor\u2019s apartment. Here are the key works and locations. <\/p>\n\n

1. Heracles the Archer (1909)<\/h3>\n\n

Bourdelle’s most famous work, on display in the grand hall<\/strong>. A 2.48-meter-tall<\/strong> bronze sculpture depicting the Greek hero drawing his bow to slay the Stymphalian Birds. This is the work that brought Bourdelle acclaim at the 1910 Salon<\/strong> and marked his definitive break with Rodin\u2019s influence. Extreme bodily tension, almost architectural geometry, and a conscious return to archaic Greek statuary. <\/p>\n\n

2. *La P\u00e9n\u00e9lope* (1907\u20131912)<\/h3>\n\n

Located in the studio. Stone sculpture, 2.75 meters<\/strong> tall. Bourdelle worked on it for five years<\/strong>. Inspired by both his wife, Cl\u00e9op\u00e2tre Sevastos<\/strong> (a Greek sculptor whom he married in 1910), and their daughter Rhodia, it depicts Penelope awaiting the return of Odysseus. A seminal work for understandingmodern Hellenism<\/strong>, which Bourdelle made his own. <\/p>\n\n

3. The Bas-Reliefs of the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre des Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es (1910\u20131912)<\/h3>\n\n

Preparatory plaster casts of the marble bas-reliefs<\/strong> that still adorn the fa\u00e7ade of the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre des Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es<\/strong> (Avenue Montaigne, 8th arrondissement). In these works, Bourdelle depicts Dance<\/em>, Music<\/em>, Tragedy<\/em>, and Comedy<\/em> in a neo-archaic style inspired by Greek pediments. <\/p>\n\n

4. The Sculpture Workshop<\/h3>\n\n

More than a work of art, it is a place<\/strong>. The studio where Bourdelle worked from 1885 until his death in 1929 has been preserved intact. A stool, workbenches, tools, plaster casts in progress, sketches on the wall: visitors step into the working world of<\/strong> a great sculptor, amid the virtual marble dust that still seems to hang in the air. It is the museum\u2019s most moving experience. <\/p>\n\n

5. The bust of Beethoven<\/h3>\n\n

Bourdelle created more than eighty busts of Beethoven<\/strong> during his lifetime. He spoke of them as a personal obsession, seeing the composer as the embodiment of creative genius struggling against the world. Several versions are on display in the museum. <\/p>\n\n

6. The Monument to General Alvear<\/h3>\n\n

A monumental plaster cast on display in the grand hall. A study for the equestrian monument, the final bronze version of which is located in Buenos Aires<\/strong> (unveiled in 1925). One of the major equestrian works of the 20th century. <\/p>\n\n

7. The Gardens and Their Monumental Bronze Sculptures<\/h3>\n\n

Two gardens extend the interior spaces. They feature, among other things, La France<\/em><\/strong> (a monumental bronze sculpture from 1923, a copy of the monument erected in Brian\u00e7on), *Energy*<\/em><\/strong> (1903), and several studies for the Mickiewicz<\/strong> monument on Quai Henri-IV. These are places to take a breath in the heart of Montparnasse. <\/p>\n\n

How to Visit the Museum<\/h2>\n\n
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Recommended duration<\/strong>: Allow 1.5 to 2 hours<\/strong> for a complete tour of the permanent collections and gardens. If a temporary exhibition is on, add 45 minutes to 1 hour. <\/p>\n\n

Best time to visit<\/strong>: The Bourdelle Museum is rarely crowded, which is one of its greatest strengths. Weekday mornings<\/strong> offer complete tranquility. Sunday afternoons<\/strong> are busier but still very manageable compared to the major Parisian museums. <\/p>\n\n

Audio Guides and Apps<\/strong>: The museum does not provide audio guides as a standard service, but the Paris Mus\u00e9es<\/strong> mobile app offers a free guided tour. It can be downloaded on iOS and Android before your visit. <\/p>\n\n

Guided Tours<\/strong>: The museum regularly offers themed guided tours (1 hour and 30 minutes, approximately \u20ac12). See the official website for the schedule. <\/p>\n\n

Accessibility for People with Disabilities<\/strong>: The museum is partially accessible. The gardens and the main hall are at ground level. The workshop requires climbing a few steps. <\/p>\n\n

Dining<\/strong>: There is no caf\u00e9 inside the museum. However, the Montparnasse neighborhood offers plenty of places to eat within a 5-minute walk. <\/p>\n\n

Around the Museum<\/h2>\n\n
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The Bourdelle Museum is located in a neighborhood rich in culture and art history<\/strong>. Don’t miss these attractions within a 10-minute walk: <\/p>\n\n