The Louvre Museum houses one of the largest collections of artworks and antiquities in the world. The museum is located inside the Louvre Palace, which was built in the 12th Century as a fortress by Philip II. After Louis XIV, he decided to move his court to Versailles, the palace was occupied by a variety of institutions related to the arts. The museum was first opened under the National Assembly in 1793. The establishment is divided into sections, including drawing, painting and sculpture, and houses antiquities from Egypt, Rome, Greece, and several other cultures. Visitors to the museum can explore its many wings and see some of the most famous works like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and Liberty Leading the People.
Millions of visitors come to see Musée d'Orsay's mammoth collection of French art every year. The building itself, called the Gare d'Orsay, was built as a railway station in 1900, is a striking Beaux-Arts edifice. At 138 meters long (453 feet) and 32 meters tall (105 feet), the opulent principal gallery of the ground floor is a reminder of the building's history. Among the masterpieces in this gallery are the Burial at Ornans by Gustave Courbet and the Gleaners by Jean-François Millet. Fans of impressionism should head directly up to the fifth floor, where works by the greatest masters of this genre can be found.
Indisputably one of the most opulent buildings, the Palace of Versailles is the epitome of French royalty. Louis XIV commissioned architects Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin to build the Château de Versailles in 1664, on the site of his father's small hunting lodge. It became one of the largest palaces in Europe, accommodating up to 20,000 courtiers at a time. The interiors are extravagant and the highlights include the Royal Apartments and the world renowned Hall of Mirrors. The Grand Trianon (1687) and the Petit Trianon (1762) are also in the park. In the year 1919, the Hall of Mirrors played a significant role in world politics for being the place where the Treaty of Versailles was signed. An outstanding exemplar of the French Baroque architecture to this day, this UNESCO World Heritage Site palace enthralls visitors with its opulence and legends.
La Gaîté Lyrique is situated where the former Théâtre de la Gaîté was and has combined the original theater's facade into its new existence. This contemporary music and digital arts center opened in 2010. La Gaîté Lyrique is a seven-storeyed building with the first five available to the public while the last two are private, including artisan shops. This huge space has three performance venues, various exhibition spaces, a resource center, video gaming area and artist rooms. Majority of these areas are adaptable and movable such as the dressing rooms and offices. You'll find concerts, lectures, films, and workshops at La Gaîté Lyrique.
Take a trip to the beautiful gardens of Tuileries, where the Orangerie Museum is located. The museum stocks a host of famous and fabulous artists such as Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso and Henri Rousseau. All the artwork in the museum was handed over by Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume, two art fanatics who have ensured that all these works are exhibited together. There is a surprise in the basement: the Oval Room, which houses some of Monet's Water-Lily paintings on permanent display. Another surprise awaiting you is the La Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, which is a twin tower of the Orangerie.
Still extremely well preserved thanks to numerous renovations, the Grand Rex (1936) is the last of the grand old movie houses in Paris. Étoiles du Rex (Stars of the Rex) guided tours are a must for all cinephiles. A definite must-visit theater. The theater is designed with art deco style of architecture with intricate detailing, leaving every visitor in awe. It is well-equipped with light and acoustic facilities making sure each show hosted here is a phenomenal one.
After ten years in the Marais area, VU’ Gallery, specialized in photography, settles in an historical site in the ninth arrondissement of Paris: Paul Delaroche Hotel. The gallery has adjustable exhibition rooms, which enable the organization of original settings, meetings and exchanges, with one exhibition every six weeks. The VU’ gallery also sells collectible prints. They have adopted the solution of authentication and traceability developed by ARTtrust for pieces of art and prints. Artists thus protect their work and their rights, and the VU’ gallery guarantees collectors the authenticity of purchased works. Moreover, a bookshop is available on the premises.
This oft celebrated theater is situated in the heart of Paris. Théâtre du Renard has hosted many notable theatrical companies, including Maiakovski and Choderlos de Laclos. The program is eclectic and is specifically tailored to appeal to children and adults alike, and international plays are often performed in their native language. The theater seats 100 people.
Sarah Bernhardt's name seems to be plastered everywhere around this theater - except on the theater itself, since she no longer owns it. The city is now in charge of this theater built in 1862, and the performances slated here are usually of the modern dance or music variety, in contrast to the more traditional program of the Théâtre du Châtelet, just across the square.
Dating back to 1912, it was among Paris's premier silent cinemas during that era. After a long closure during the World War II, it reopened as an auteur cinema hall. Over the many decades of its existence, Luminor Hôtel de Ville may have changed its name a few times, but its heart remained the same as an independent movie house. Showcasing independent films from all across the world wherein even catering to children, this cinema theater is among the best in the neighborhood.
Salle des Fêtes is one of the venues at the Mairie du 4e arrondissement which also the city hall of the town. It hosts a number of live concerts for music, dance, and drama throughout the year. To know more about the ticketing and events do call in advance.