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Modern Art Museum of Paris

Contemporary Art Museums in Paris and Art Galleries

by Imogen S

Dreaming of an arty visit of Paris? Follow our guide of the best Contemporary Art museums and galleries in Paris. In our list, you will find large institutions and non-profit organizations as well as more intimate art galleries.

Contemporary Art Museums in Paris

The Centre Pompidou

Jeff Koons Contemporary Art Exhibition at Centre Pompidou
Jeff Koons Contemporary Art Exhibition at Centre Pompidou

The Georges Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture, also known as Beaubourg, is THE place to see contemporary art in Paris.

It is one of the largest collections of contemporary art in the world and the biggest in Europe.

Here, you can admire the works of Man Ray, Brassaï, Warhol, and Klein as well as those of Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky and Braque.

The museum also organises grand exhibitions such as Magritte, Paul Klee, Cartier-Bresson and Matisse.

More info on the Centre Pompidou

Modern Art Museum of Paris

Modern Art Museum of Paris
Modern Art Museum of Paris

This is also an excellent museum for contemporary artwork. There is also the advantage of free entrance (though you have to pay to visit the art exhibitions).

Beside the big-name works by Delaunay, Chagall, Dufy, and Braque, you will also find art by Nike de Saint-Phalle, Martial Rayesse, Christo, and Baselitz.

Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain

Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris
Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris

The Fondation Cartier houses a private collection of modern art with about  4000 works of more than 300 artists from all over the world.

The building is magnificently encased in the work of Jean Nouvel, and has reopened on 17th April after renovation work.

In the Foundation , you can admire the work of Depardon, Nan Goldin, Coleman and Chéri Samba.

Palais de Tokyo

Palais de Tokyo in Paris
Palais de Tokyo in Paris

Founded to house an exhibition in 1937, the Palais de Tokyo does not have a permanent collection. Rather, it regularly hosts contemporary art events such as exhibitions, installations, performances, and film projections. This is also one of the trendiest places to visit with its restaurant and nightclub, le Yoyo.

La Maison Rouge

La Maison Rouge was opened in 2000 by Antoine Galbert with a goal to promote new forms of art.

This foundation, which is accredited for public interest, allows artists to display their work over 1300 square meters.

The entrance foyer to the Maison Rouge is dedicated to young artists for a period of 4 to 6 weeks each.

You will also be able to see photography exhibitions at Jeu de Paume, the MEP (European Photography House), or at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The Arab World Institute, the Beaux Arts de Paris and the Grand Palais can also be known to organise contemporary art events.

Read our complete guide about Museums in Paris.

Contemporary Art Galleries in Paris

Galerie Kamel Mennour

Galerie Kamel Mennour
Galerie Kamel Mennour

Huang Yong Ping exhibition at Galerie Kamel Mennour

This was one of the first modern art galleries to be established on the right bank when le Marais was becoming a hot-spot.

It features the work of internationally-recognised photographers such as Daniel Buren and Martin Parr and sculptors like Camille Henrot and Mohamed Bourouissa.

Galerie Yvon Lambert

This is one of Marais’ pioneering art galleries. For more than 40 years, this gallery has been setting up exhibitions for the promotion of contemporary artists. They are particularly keen on new forms of artistic expression.

Taddeus Ropac

Austrian art dealer Taddeus Ropac arrived Paris in 1990 and opened a contemporary art gallery in le Marais.

He then opened a gallery in Pantin in an old factory at the beginning of the 20th century which played host to regular exhibitions of monumental works.

Galerie des Medicis

Situated in Place des Vosges, just next to the house of Victor Hugo right in the heart of le Marais, this gallery features mainly figurative and abstract contemporary art.

Galerie Perrotin

This is one of the most famous art galleries in le Marais. Founded in 1989 by Emmanuel Perrotin, the gallery has hosted the works of many a talented contemporary artist. Sophie Calle, Takashi Murakami and Damien Hirst are just some the well-known artists who have shown their work here.

>> Read our guide to the Best Art Galleries in Paris

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