Forget the Louvre, these free museums will dazzle you.

Whenever I see the endless queues of tourists outside the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, I always ask myself the same question: why crowd into the same noisy spots (paying a hefty price to do so) when Paris boasts a network of extraordinary museums where the only sound is the footsteps of a few visitors, and which are free to boot? I find myself wondering this in other contexts, too, as if a trip only “counts” once you’ve ticked off certain boxes, with the Louvre being one of the most important. But this overlooks the fact that you don’t need to elbow your way through crowds or admire art amidst a forest of selfie sticks to appreciate the beauty of Paris. That beauty often hides in quieter, more intimate spots, places where you can fully immerse yourself in a work of art, undisturbed by the outside world. It is these havens of peace for aesthetes that I invite you to discover today…

1. Musée Carnavalet

Want to understand how Paris became the city we know today? Start here. Housed in two magnificent 15th- and 16th-century mansions, the museum traces the entire history of Paris, starting all the way back in prehistory! As Paris’s oldest museum, it is vast; be sure to set aside a good two hours to take in the 580,000 works on display, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, historical artifacts, and archives. I find it to be one of the best places to start a trip to Paris; discovering the history that shaped the city is one of the best ways to understand it and unravel its mysteries. My favorite section to visit is the gallery of old shop signs. Made of wrought iron and weathered by time, each one tells the story of a long-gone merchant or artisan. Every time I see them, I want to take one home with me.

23 Rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris

Metro Saint-Paul (Line 1)

2. The Cognacq-Jay Museum

The French art of living is the stuff of dreams! So, how about stepping into an 18th-century private mansion to immerse yourself in it? The Musée Cognacq-Jay is, in itself, a tribute to this celebrated lifestyle. Here, you can discover tableware, jewelry, and snuffboxes crafted from exquisitely delicate materials, all displayed in rooms furnished in the style of the era. Be sure not to miss the attic—which bears a striking resemblance to the hull of an overturned ship—or the old kitchens, with their walls lined with copper pots and pans. This journey back to the 18th century was made possible by the generosity of Ernest Cognacq and Marie-Louise Jay, founders of the La Samaritaine department store; having no heirs, they bequeathed their entire collection of 18th-century objects and artworks to the City of Paris.

8 Rue Elzévir, 75003 Paris

Metro Saint-Paul (Line 1) or Chemin Vert (Ligne 8)