The Petit Palais . Museum

The Little Palace houses the Musée des Beaux Arts de la Ville de Paris, Paris' city-level fine arts museum. Visit this Beaux-Arts building and discover its vast collection of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, manuscripts and other artifacts, dating back to antiquity. to the 20th century.

The Little Palace, located on the Champs-Elysées, opposite the Grand Palace, was also built for the 1900 International Exposition. This Beaux Arts structure was designed by architect Charles Charles. Girault, he also oversaw the construction team of the nearby Grand Palace.

Before entering the exhibition area, admire the charming facade of the building. Like many Beaux Arts buildings, it also contains Greek and Roman architectural features, such as Ionic columns and elaborate decorative motifs.

Inside the building, visitors can enjoy a range of impressive and memorable works of art dating back centuries. Arranged on two floors, the artworks are divided by area, each themed about a major art movement. Let's start with the early medieval area, where visitors can observe artifacts in bronze, terracotta, glass, gold and jewelry from the Greco-Roman period.

In the 17th-century area, look for works by Dutch and Flanders artists, including Rembrandt's self-portrait and Rubens' The Robbery of Proserpina . The collections are fairly representative of the French painters. Visitors will find lesser known treasures by artists such as Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Cézanne and Delacroix.

Look for the area dedicated to Paris at the turn of the century, the very time when the Little Palace was built. Don't miss Hector Guimard's Art Nouveau dining room and glassmaker's colorful Art Nouveau vases with Émile Gallé's innovative style. After viewing all the collections, guests can sit and have a drink in the lovely garden cafe.

The Little Palace is located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, next to the Champs-Élysées - Clémenceau metro station. The permanent exhibitions at the Little Palace are free to enter, while the temporary exhibitions may charge a small fee. The museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays.