Musée de Cluny

Yulan Zhou★★★★★★★★★★5.03 months ago

The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are truly impressive. Actually in this museum I enjoyed the best collections of tapestries I’ve ever seen, vivid in color and rich in details. The information panels includes English version and content is concise and clear. It takes two or three hours to go through all the rooms and appreciate the details. It opens at 9:30am, good to make this one the first destination of the day. Last but not least, about the “enigma” of “my only desire”, well, to my secular superficial and shallow understanding, it seems that the lady is content with her jewelry collection😉.

Josh★★★★★★★★★★5.04 months ago

One of Paris' most enjoyable museums and underappreciated museums! Besides the museum's staring attraction of the enveloping unicorn tapestry room, this museum has hundreds of amazing pieces of painting, sculpture, stained glass, jewelry, and architecture. The building itself is a marvel as well, helping you engage with the art, relate to it in a personal level, and reveal the middle ages as "A Distant Mirror". I highly recommend the book of that title by Barbara Tuchman as preparation for seeing the museum. This museum is in the Paris museum card. Remember to see the chapel and the outdoor courtyard

Antony Lee★★★★★★★★★★3.06 months ago

Probably the most overlooked major museum in Paris. The Medieval collections are wonderful and well worth seeing, but it should be noted that its a museum focused on Medieval art rather than giving a more rounded picture of the period and society. The Roman baths within the museum complex are incredible and very important archaeologically but have no interpretation and sadly become little more than a nice backdrop to one gallery, which is a massive missed opportunity. The outdoor elements of the baths were also inexplicably closed off. It feels as if the museum didn't want to dilute its Medieval theme by highlighting them too much. The staff at the entrance were stunningly unfriendly but those in the galleries were nicer

vivi Chanle★★★★★★★★★★5.05 months ago

I highly recommend visiting the National Museum of the Middle Ages (Musée de Cluny). One very practical bonus is the free cloakroom, where you can leave your winter coat and bags — extremely convenient, especially in colder seasons. The museum itself is quite large and divided into different sections. My main reason for visiting was “The Lady and the Unicorn” tapestries, which truly are the highlights of the museum. They were genuinely striking. What impressed me most is how they express a sense of female autonomy and self-awareness as early as the 14th–15th century. The symbolism of the unicorn is also very different from the modern, fairy-tale interpretation we have today. These tapestries left a strong impression on me. Beyond that, many of the other exhibits are fascinating as well — especially the ivory carvings, which feel irreplaceable and truly represent masterpieces of human artistry. Some of the staff-like objects on display are also intriguing, and their historical background is worth looking into if you’re interested. Downstairs, the Roman bath remains are another highlight. The ancient bathing pool is particularly interesting, and if you’re into archaeology, this part alone is worth the visit. The way the museum connects ancient Roman remains with medieval art creates a meaningful dialogue between the past and the present. Overall, this museum is absolutely worth visiting. If you’re in Paris, don’t miss it.

Katie Davis★★★★★★★★★★5.0a month ago

Incredible collection of European medieval art. Most of the collection dates from 1100-1590. The building itself is quite stunning, and it is a must-see for any fans of medieval art. Far less crowds compared to the Louvre or other museums. It is also much smaller than most of Paris’ art museums so you can easily see everything in a couple of hours. The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are the gem of this museum, I don’t even want to post a photo of them because they will take your breath away in person. There is also a beautiful park on the property that is free to explore. Clean facilities, central location, wonderful experience.