Housed in the Hôtel Salé, a 17th-century mansion in the heart of the Marais, the Picasso Museum holds the largest public collection in the world devoted to the artist: paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and sketchbooks, most of them from the donation made by his heirs to the French State. The Hôtel Salé owes its nickname to the man who commissioned it, Pierre Aubert de Fontenay, a collector of the gabelle, the old salt tax. The mansion itself, with its courtyard, grand staircase, and painted ceilings, is worth the visit on its own.
Highlights
The Jupiter Room
This ceremonial hall, built in 1660, has kept its stucco bas-reliefs by Martin Desjardins and the Marsy brothers. Today it displays a hang of Picasso's work, including The Acrobat from 1930.
The Painted Entrance Ceiling
The richly decorated ceiling of the main vestibule offers a glimpse of the architectural splendor the building's first owner sought in the 17th century. Take a moment to look up before heading to the collections.
The Facade and Garden
The Hôtel Salé is among the most beautiful mansions in the Marais. It was restored by architect Jean-François Bodin and became a museum in 1985, nearly a century after its original construction.
Infos pratiques
Tips
The mansion is a work of art in its own right. Don't rush straight to the paintings; the staircase and vestibule are worth lingering over.
How to get there
The museum can be reached from the "Saint-Paul" (line 1), "Chemin Vert" (line 8), and "Saint-Sébastien-Froissart" (line 8) metro stations. Buses 96, 75, 69, 76, 67, and 72 also serve the neighborhood.
Opening hours
Nearby
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