MAD Art Deco exhibition ends April 26. I'm glad I got to see this wonderful well-thought-out installation. The temporary exhibits at MAD last about 6 months. Their curator and their team do an excellent job changing out their collections. read more

Musée des Arts Décoratifs - Museums Near Me - Paris, 75

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My friends and I went to the Iris van Herpen exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and were terribly jealous and annoyed by the idea of a retrospective for a designer born in 1984. Aside from this, though, the experience was quite wonderful. We got timed entry tickets for 4:00 on a Friday. There was no wait to enter, but it was quite busy inside, with a line to check coats and a large crowd in each room of the main exhibition. It was a pretty diverse group, in age, race, and nationality, and I was surprised by the number of men in attendance. I can't imagine American men lining up for a fashion exhibition at home. The security guard who admitted us into the show blatantly hit on one of my friends. That was kind of weird (though I'm guessing more acceptable in France, home of a particularly strong strain of #metoo backlash), but the experience was otherwise smooth and pleasant. The crowd was organized, and we flowed easily from room to room. The exhibition was fantastic, beautiful and inspiring and well put together. Iris van Herpen makes exceptionally cool, sculptural clothes using a combination of innovative techniques and painstaking labor. The show highlighted some of the themes in her designs, bringing in relevant items from nature and complementary work by other artists. There were hundreds of garments on display, as well as accessories and sketchbooks and a whole room made up like an Iris van Herpen workshop, with fabrics and 3D-printed designs pinned to the walls in a giant mood board. I watched part of the looping video showing preparations for a fashion week, and wow, did that look intense. So much thought and time put into each piece. After the Iris van Herpen show, we did a quick walk-through of the permanent jewelry collection and the Fashion and Sports exhibition (we also treated ourselves to an old lady interlude, sitting on a quiet bench on the highest floor--a very nice spot if you need a break). The jewelry was impressive, and I really enjoyed the quick education in athletic wear over the decades. We stopped by the gift shop on our way out and ended up spending a good amount of time there, just browsing all of the eye-catching merchandise. (I guess it's no surprise that this museum has a worthwhile store.) There were tons of accessories and home goods and decorative items, as well as a huge selection of art books. If you have any interest in the decorative arts, check out MAD while you're in Paris. It's a stellar museum right by the Louvre, and if you go in the next few months, you'll catch a spectacular show. read more

Loved this museum! So many museums concentrate on the art but this one is all about the home stuff. Saw lots of furniture, bedroom sets, dishes, clocks, armories, and the like. It was really fun to see what wealthy people used to live on and use as part of their daily life. It is part of the Louvre area so very easy to include in your trip to the Louvre. read more

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MAD is next to Louvre but smaller and much calmer. The Napoleon's throne, and the exhibits of Chinoiserie - the Europeans' imagination, imitation and interpretation of Chinese and Eastern Asian. It is rare to see black porcelain. The western paintings with Chinese features.   We were lucky: it poured while we were inside, that caused some light flood in the area. read more

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My sister and I decided to check out the Dior exhibit of Musée des Arts Décoratifs Sept 2017. She is very knowledgeable about fashion and even took a study abroad course in Paris for 1 month for fun! It's a hobby of hers to learn more about the history and the artistic aspect of the high fashion houses so this was a great exhibit for her to spend some time (4 hours+, I was done in 1.5 lol). I would suggest buying tickets ahead of time for the exhibit AND having it printed out. We still had to wait in line at 11:30 when the museum was open since 11:15, but within 10 mins we were in. I cannot say the same for the "need to purchase" line. It was drizzly and cold and there is no shelter from the elements. Inside, you'll find a historical narrative in picture and video form of Christian Dior, and briefly touching on his successors. The rest of the exhibit is samples of clothing and accessories worn on the runway from CD as well as all who followed leading house of Dior. I think I was able to have more artistic appreciation for the dresses and outfits being able to see them up close and wonder how someone was able to contruct/sew in such unique ways and with non traditional items. I especially loved the small models of each dress in tiny form. To some, high fashion is just a way of throwing money into the trash can or bragging about status from a few emblems or symbols on your person. However, when you get the background on these fashion houses and see the hard work as art- it become a value for the artistic aesthetic. I left with a higher appreciation for the brand and the industry. read more

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This review is only for the Dior exhibit. It was an endless parade of stunning pieces, but the exhibit was overcrowded, poorly ventilated, and poorly curated in some sections. The second half of the exhibit was very well organized by theme and creative director, but the first half was a bit of a mess. The curation in the Colorama room was nonsensical: just a hodgepodge of items thrown into order by color (?!?!?!?) and I was unable to see what was what, especially with the crowds. Boyfriend was able to score special untimed tickets through American Express concierge, so we were able to skip the lines, but had we only had regular tickets, we would have had to wait upwards of two hours in the rain outside to get in. And had we not had advance tickets, we would not have gotten in at all. read more

What a gem! Transport yourself through years of different periods of decor in one glorious building! Like so many museums one visit is never enough, one must approach with a plan, focus on a particular period or subject matter and repeat. Every visit has proven over the years to be so relaxing and informative at the same time. This place is a gem! read more

Musée des Arts Décoratifs - The main entrance! - Museums Near Me - Paris, 75

This museum sounded intriguing, but what they don't tell you is half the floors are under restoration. Most of the furniture and glassware is from the 1800´s. I would pass this until they have completed their rénovation. read more

No joke, we waited 3 hours to get into the DIOR exhibit. You know how hard it was to convince the two that i was with, that waiting in the 30 F degree weather, for an unknown amount of time, on the last day of our paris trip, was worth it!?!?! Friendships and family ties were tested!! I'm super thankful they waited with me. And thankful we had an AMAZING time lol. (Think I would have had to hear about it forever if the exhibit flopped). i thought the lights of the building in the lobby area was brilliant - it really set the tone for what we were about to experience. I thought it was awesome they introduced the exhibit with the rainbow ombre collection of clothes and jewelry. That section though because the lights were off, and area was tight was extremely crowded. Other highlight, was the room with all white pieces. Love the stories about how the dresses initially go from sketches to rough designs and pattern making. Ofc the grand finale with the mirrors and towers of dresses was everything and more. I think that really made it magical was the lighting and projection of the scenery. How it changed from day to night to snow to glitter. the musical paring was also awesome. I just stood there watching the projections for 10 minutes. The video of different celebs wearing DIOR gowns was also entertaining. read more

I visited this museum with a friend in September 2020 on a Sunday afternoon. It is convenient to get here on the metro line 1, alighting at the station Palais-Royal - Musée du Louvre. Standard entry is 14€, but there are some reductions offered for youth, students, etc. I really enjoyed the couple of hours we spent exploring this museum. The fashion installations and exhibits with fashion magazine covers through the decades were really interesting; it was especially neat to see side-by-side the images in the magazine and then the clothes themselves. The museum also had an extensive collection of jewelry and furniture from various eras. Compared to other art museums that focus more on beaux-arts, thé exhibitions on fashion and jewelry were very unique. If you're already in the area (perhaps to visit the Louvre), definitely consider stopping by here too! You can definitely spend 2-3 stimulating hours here. read more

Fashion Forward is a fashion exhibition at musee des arts decoratifs that spans 3 centuries from 1715 to 2016 and exhibits both modern and historical fashion pieces in their entirety. My favorite is Yves Saint Laurent. read more

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This is one of three locations for the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum). The location for this review is in the Northwest Wing of the Louvré. I think this is a less visited museum and that is unfortunate because it is fantastic. The art is so "relatable". It's incredible to see things that are part of my past here. Fantastic art is created each and every day, but often not recognized until much later. Pioneers (modernists perhaps?) have so much vision and influence over the aesthetic of the future. I spent most of my time in the contemporary collections including fashion, furniture and toys. In the fashion exhibit they ran clips of runway shows from the 1970s and avant-garde video's of Grace Jones and others. In the toys exhibit there were things that are still in production today. The furniture designs from the 1920s-80s are still ahead of their time even now. The views from the top floor looking out over Tuileries and across the city to La Défense' were striking. You can even see the La Grande Arche de la Défense which looms large even from this distance. Decorative arts - a wonderful part of all-too-uncommon everyday life. This museum is worth your time. read more

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Chances are, if you are in Paris, you'll absolutely check out the Musee d'Orsay and the Louvre, both phenomenal. However, if you are a designer, in advertising, or fashion, a parent, or if you simply appreciate visual art as a medium, you will make it a point to visit Musee Des Arts Decoratifs. This location of Musee des Arts Decoratifs is alongside Le Louvre, on the Northwest side and is a fantastic museum, well curated and typically with a handful knock out exhibitions in a beautiful, classic setting. When we attended, the two exhibits of designer/artists were the highlights of our visit. They included a innovative tribute to French graphic designer, photographer, illustrator, advertising director and Grace Jones paramour Jean-Paul Gouge and a tribute to Laurent de Brunhoff, whose father (and mother) created childhood icon Barbar, which he continued for the next 40 years to breathe new life into, creating new and original Barbar adventures. Both exhibitions were fantastic. This venue is highly recommended for anyone from a visual designer to those who simply appreciate and celebrate popular culture. It turned out to be great for kids too, with our 6 year old enjoying the Barbar exhibit in particular with it's beautiful story boards, and which surprisingly included kid-friendly interactive games set up on kid-sized Macs. The museum is more compact than the Louvre, not frequently visited, the exhibitions were fantastically well thought out, and the place is well worth a visit. read more

Snuggled right beside Le Louvre is this beautiful museum. I wish I'd had more time to go round everything but that'll have to wait for my next visit to Paris. I Came for the 300 Years of Fashion exhibition and for an extra 3 Euros I decided to tag on the Barbie exhibition. 300 years was fascinating as it starts with French fashion around 1700 and goes right up to date with designers we all know. I found the similarities & differences between Scottish fashion over the centuries & the French really interesting. Then there was Barbie... Now I was a Sindy girl but when it's the first time Barbie has toured it would be rude not to pop in. Boy does that gal know how to put on an exhibition. Everything you ever wanted to know about her was clearly laid out in French & English and, as I suspected her choice in men (read that as Ken) left me thinking she could do better. The exhibition is on two floors and it's worth heading upstairs to see atelier Barbie and art work. As you exit the exhibition it's worth looking inside the dark, and I mean almost pitch black, rooms to the left. I thought I'd died and gone to jewellery heaven. From Art Deco to current designs it's all glistening in there waiting for you to sigh at. If you go out the back of the building you'll find lovely grassy areas to sit and quietly sip water and admire the stunning architecture. read more

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Came here to see the Christian Dior exhibit in 2017 which was INCREDIBLE. Without a doubt one of the best exhibits I've ever been to in my life. Came back in 2018 and it was a pretty confusing visit! The security were VERY serious about their jobs, telling me where I could and couldn't stand, demanding that I move up in line anytime there was an available inch or two, and telling me which exhibits I could and couldn't go into in the museum despite the fact that my ticket should have allowed me to see all the exhibits. It was a little confusing to know where to go if you don't know much French! I did enjoy the exhibits overall but it wasn't my favorite museum this time around. read more

Wow! This museum is my new favorite! You will miss it if you are a Rick Steves person. Just alongside the Louvre on Rue Rivoli, you will find this gem. Not knowing what to expect, i literally gasped for glee when I entered the jewelry exhibits! Cartier dripping with diamonds and van clefs and arpels,,, a collection spanning centuries. And that is one tiny piece. Of this musee. Wander and you will find last seasons Chanels, and recreations of Lanvin's apartment. You will find clothing and decor through the ages, and there were at least four temporary exhibits. I will be back!!! The restaurant was quite good too, but have patience. read more

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I had wanted to come here for a long time but was really disappointed when I finally made it as it really wasn't as good as I had expected. I thought it would cover historical costume and have a display like the one in the V&A in London or the Bath Fashion Museum, however when I went there was a Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition on and it seems to be used as a temporary exhibition space. It was my own fault though for not researching properly. It is housed in an elegant building with the amazing Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which is fantastic. They share a great bookshop with many titles about the decorative arts. Moral of this story: Always check in advance! read more

Musée des Arts Décoratifs - Museums Near Me - Paris, 75

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Certainly interesting and good variety collections they have. Not MUST visit on my list------I feel... read more

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We were lucky to be in town at the same time as the Christian Dior exhibit. When we went, we saw a line that went all the way down this huge block, and we were told it would be a 2-3 hour wait. Good thing we tried it anyway, as we got in about 1.5 hours and were treated to the one of the best museum exhibits we've seen in a long while. Such a beautifully put together and comprehensive look at CD's life and work. Got a new appreciation for Miss Dior (tribute to his sister who was a part of the French resistance). Made the new YSL museum pale in comparison. Tip: be warned it gets warm in there! read more

This was by FAR the most amazing fashion exhibit I've ever seen.... and I saw this on the heels of Rei Kawakubo...... That being said, I KNOW my Dior Couture...... in the Finale room, there is a gown from a 2010 Cruise collection...... see if you can find it. Regardless, it was breathtaking in person..... but is Cruise considered "Couture"? Is this REALLY all Haute Couture?? Although it's on display for less than a month now, if you can, it's a MUST SEE. What will tour can't even come close to the original exhibit, but completely worth the effort. PS, we planned a trip from the US SPECIFICALLY to see this show, and I'd go back again and again to re-examine if I could. If you know your Dior, this is FOR SURE worth it. read more

It is really small and not what I was expecting. The graphic art and the fashion is more of an exhibit than a museum. They did have the best museum store because they had an extensive amount of design books. read more

The museum was very cool. I was however pissed off that the fashion collection was not on display. They did not tell me this when I bought my admission, and would not refund my money. read more

I went in with zero expectations, but this museum was convenient (next to the Louvre) and free with the Museum Pass. Hm. Actually a pretty cool place. I'm a fan of Art Nouveau and there were some amazing period rooms from that time period. And unlike the Louvre, you won't be caught up in a human tide surging from room to room. Paris can be so packed with tourists that it's refreshing to visit a less-crowded museum. I'm sure that contributed to my enjoyment of the Musee Des Arts Decoratifs. Regardless, I can see this as one museum that I'd definitely like to revisit and explore more fully next time I'm in Paris. (Museum Pass holders take note -- Access to the permanent collection is free with the Pass, but you may need to pay if you want to see any special temporary exhibits.) read more

Visit here if you want a quirky, fun experience. The temporary displays are by people who definitely take a different point of view especially the fashion and style ones. Right now they have a Louis Vitton display (amazing history of upscale luggage) and Mark Jacobs who now designs for LV-the wall of his purses was overwhelming and made you wonder how much work it would be to carry a different purse each day of your life. Huge so pick a time or area of interest and explore. It was so much more relaxing than the Louvre with more places to rest and observe. Metro Lourve. read more

I know I'm copying yelp, but Woohoo! This really is as good as it gets! Holy Holy!! One of the reasons we went to Paris for Christmas was because the Dior exhibit was going on here. Our first impression was actually before we even checked into our hotel, which was across the street from this. As we approached, we noticed a ton of people, realizing at some point this was a huge queue. When I saw the Dior signage, I knew it was for that, and rightfully so. The exhibit took the bulk of this building and was a feast for the eyes. It was quite crowded, and sometimes difficult to get close to things if you didn't want to wade into a mass of people or preferred not to wait it out for a break. I loved the rooms where miniatures were mixed in with regular sizes and transitioning from one color to the next of the color wheel. I loved seeing the bits and pieces of Dior's early life via ephemera, photos and mementos. The full wall pic of his art gallery was fun also, but at first I was wondering where all the clothes were. But the exhibit went on. And on and on. The final room was my favorite with the bit of magic where they had digitally mapped the architectural features of the room, then showed dress sketches in the recessed spaces high up in that room. This gave way to a magical, ethereal twinkling star show that blanketed all these luscious works of wearable art. Le sigh. The only disappointment was that they did not create a book explicitly for this show. read more

I only came here to see the Dior Exhibit but it was closed. I went to the boutique/bookstore & it was nice. A lot of good finds.

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs organized an amazing exhibit featuring the 70th anniversary of the House of Dior. I have seen many couture exhibits in many cities but this exhibit was the largest and most extensive. The designs from the illustrious couturiers was impressive. The dresses were gorgeous. My criticism, and I heard other express, where the following...despite purchasing tickets on-line there where two very disorganized lines wrapped around the outside of the building waiting to get inside. Our wait was over an hour outside...it didn't matter if you pre-purchased a ticket. The first portion of the exhibit featured rooms of cases filled with beautiful dresses, accessories, shoes, photos, and more. The narrow aisles where lacked with people. The rooms where steamy hot. The lines moved so slowly while everyone took photos, talked, and read the information cards. People complained of their fear of passing out. One of the rooms (the white room) was used in the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Grand Palais in 2015. Everyone was much happier in the second portion of the exhibit. Very large gift shop. The restaurant Lulu was a slice of solitude after trying to view the exhibit. www.dior.com or www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr read more

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I briefly studied Fashion Design in college, and while I did not ultimately continue down that path for a career, my design muse lives within me, which means that I very much enjoy looking at pretty things. When I realized that this museum had a fashion collection, AND sold the all-important Paris-Pass without the crazy long lines to buy them that you will encounter at the Louvre, I went for it! Sadly, the fashion collection was closed for my visit, so I had to amuse myself looking at a few hundred years' worth of furniture and antique tschotskes instead. Buying the Paris Pass and making a quick trip to the WC before shooting all the way up to the top floor and working my way down by design era was fairly easy. I spent a good hour or so winding and weaving my way down, taking photos and admiring all manner of chairs to my heart's content. There were hardly any other patrons there on a chilly and wet Saturday afternoon in September, and at times I had sections of floors all to myself. I definitely recommend this museum to anyone with an interest in design, and especially if you intend to purchase a Paris pass, because getting it here is far quicker than one of the major tourist attractions. Just note that some collections require separate admission, and some do not allow photographs to be taken. read more

The Christian Dior retrospective was out of this world. The Museé did an outstanding job putting it all togerther. Very impressive.

Another tourist hot spot..There isn't much you can do about the long line but even if you purchase tickets online and pass security and directed to the counter you were told to go, the employee gave us attitude. We were asked why we were at the information desk instead of ticket desk? Why not ask the security guy who directed us? Once we started explaining in 'French', 'oh, I understand what you are saying now.." Really? Once you enter the exhibit room, the temperature goes up to 80 degrees and packed with people. Figure out how to manage better flow of the museum other than making the room hot, hoping viewers will move along! How about assigning time slots for such a small museum? Paris has really changed..They understands tourist = $$ but they don't really make the experience very pleasant. Overall Dior exhibit was very thorough and great to see but stay away unless coming 1st thing when the museum opens.. read more

A huge museum focusing on decorative art almost hidden away in a wing of the Louvre. Ranges from fashion to furniture, and even includes a toy gallery for the kids (or you!). Obviously not as remarkable as the Louvre itself, but there are no lines and it is interesting enough to lose an afternoon. read more

Utterly superb. This museum sums up all the things I love about the modern curating of museums. The interior of this modernised classic building lifted my heart as I entered it. The curating places objects in the context of not just chronology but also influence and in addition develops ideas around a theme. Such as the animal theme in the temporary gallery at the moment. The museum layout is set along a route around the entire collection and delivers some interesting architectural surprises as all of the building is used. Definitely a new favourite. read more

One of my favorite museums. Definitely less crowded than the Louvre next door and appeals to the designer in me much more. I loved how the exhibits are curated. When I was there, it took the subject of animals as inspiration and showed their influence on everything from hats, fashion to furniture or art. It broke it down to birds, stuffed animals, beasts and imaginary creatures. read more

We visited several museums in Paris, the D'Orsay, Pompidou, Louvre, Romantique, and Jacques-Mart Andre, and this was one of my favorites, with the Pompidou and the D'Orsay tied for second. It is a lovely, spacious, and uncrowded - the displays are on multiple floors surrounding the multi-story atrium - with exquisite pieces of French decorative arts. read more

The decorative arts museum is one of its kind in Paris - the focus on a different form of art provides something different for Paris. The museum itself is fairly interesting, with all sorts of decorative arts pieces and exhibits, from photos of how some things came into existence (with good captions too) to jewellery design and clothing designs (and how these designs changed and adapted over time). Although I was initially reluctant to visit this museum, it proved to be more interesting than the name suggests. The museum, although not the most spacious, was easily to freely walk in. Not a bad place for those who like art, and especially those who like clothing. read more

Correct hours not posted on the Internet. The employees told me they open at 1:00 that was Wednesday.they insisted that it was written on the Internet that way. That is incorrect. I think that needs to be fixed. read more

Pick up the free "audiogeed" and make at least a half day of it. There is so much to see and know. My wife and I are in Paris for the museums and the food and after 6 days we are not disappointed. The arts decoratifs is just one of the museum pass freebies and well worth it - there are just sooooo many wonderful things in the collections. Just wait until you see the bijoux. read more

a very beautiful place in the city center very convenient.)))