Maillol Museum in Paris: an intimate place for those who love sculpture
If you want to see Paris beyond the Impressionists and large state museums, pay attention to the Maillol Museum. This private museum in the 7th arrondissement is dedicated to the French sculptor Aristide Maillol and 20th-century art. It’s worth adding to your itinerary if you enjoy quieter exhibition spaces and want to appreciate art without the museum hustle.
What you will see here
The core of the exhibition consists of works by Aristide Maillol: sculptures, paintings, drawings, engravings, decorative arts, as well as original works in plaster and terracotta. The museum houses the largest collection of this artist's works in the world, making it one of the best places to gain a comprehensive understanding of his creativity.
Alongside Maillol's works, there are pieces from the collection of Dina Vierny — his muse and the museum's founder. Here you can find 20th-century art, including paintings, graphics, and sculptures by other European masters. Thus, the visit is not limited to the portrait of a single sculptor but offers a broader view of modern art.
The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions dedicated to the art of the 20th and 21st centuries. These can significantly change the impression of a repeat visit: the permanent collection remains important, but the additional program adds a new emphasis each time.
Why you should go
The museum opened on January 20, 1995, in a historic building — the former Bouchardon hotel. The space is about 4,250 square meters, but it doesn’t feel like a giant museum complex. It’s easier to focus on the forms, materials, and details of the sculptures here.
It will be especially interesting for those who love the human body in art, flowing lines, and expressive plasticity. Maillol is primarily known for his monumental female figures, and they are perceived quite differently in person than in photographs. After the museum, you can continue the theme in the Tuileries Garden, where monumental sculptures by Maillol, donated to the French state by Dina Vierny, are installed.
Where it is located
The museum is located at 59–61 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris, in an area where you can conveniently combine several cultural stops in one day. You can plan your visit along with a walk along the left bank of the Seine, the Tuileries Garden, or other museums in central Paris.
The current opening hours of the museum are daily from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM, with extended evening hours until 10:00 PM on Thursdays. The last entry is earlier, so it’s better not to arrive just before closing for an evening visit.
If you have already seen the main Parisian museums or just want to leisurely get acquainted with sculpture, the Maillol Museum could be a great choice. Would you go there for Maillol, a temporary exhibition, or a walk near the Tuileries?
