3rd Arrondissement Museums and Galleries
Establishment
neighborhood
Picasso Museum
5 Rue de Thorigny, 3rd
It's rare to find a museum where you can see such a wide breadth of a single artist's work, but in this Marais manse (which dates back to the 1600s), you can see pieces from every period of Picasso's life. In addition, it also houses Picasso's personal art collection, which includes pieces from Cézanne, Rousseau, and Degas, as well as significant African art. After a much longer than anticipated renovation, the museum finally reopened in the fall of 2014. Photograph by Béatrice Hatala
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac
7 Rue Debelleyme, 3rd
Thaddaeus Ropac opened his first gallery in Salzburg when he was only 23, followed by an outpost in Paris seven years later. He represents a host of international talents (including Anselm Keifer), and is known for ambitious exhibitions and plenty of guest star curators (Sofia Coppola recently lent a hand). Thaddaeus Ropac just opened a new space in the Paris suburb of Pantin, which easily justifies a trip for collectors.
Galerie Chantal Crousel
10 Rue Charlot, 3rd
This is Chantal Crousel's second location, offering the same reliably excellent mix of emerging and established artists from the contemporary art scene: In the past, she's exhibited talents like Cindy Sherman, Jenny Holzer, Sophie Calle, and Richard Prince.
Galerie Chez Valentin
9 Rue Saint-Gilles, 3rd
Chez Valentin may be small in size, but it's big on ambition: The contemporary artwork here always pushes the envelope in the most compelling way.
Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin
76 Rue de Turenne, 3rd
Best known for giving Damien Hirst his first solo show in 1991, Galerie Perrotin trailblazed in the Asian art market (they also gave Takashi Murakami his first exhibition outside of Japan). Over the intervening years, Galerie Perrotin's pace hasn't dwindled: They continue to launch up-and-coming artists from around the globe.
La Gaîté Lyrique
3 Bis Rue Papin, 3rd
In a wildly compelling juxtaposition, this museum pairs electronic music and digital arts with the facade of an original 19th-century theatre. While the exhibitions are great, try to catch a concert here—and cap it off with a cocktail at the bar.