Location and Hours
The museum is located at 107 rue de Rivoli. It opens Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00–18:00, and closes Mondays. Permanent collections close at 17:45 on Thursdays.
Thursday evenings until 21:00 provide access to temporary exhibitions only. If the permanent collection is your priority, schedule it before its 17:45 closing time. Choose your arrival time according to which part of the museum you want to visit.
Studying Design by Period and Material
The permanent collection includes furniture, ceramics, textiles, metalwork and decorative objects spanning multiple centuries. Selecting one period—medieval, Renaissance, eighteenth-century, Art Deco or contemporary—allows focused study of design principles and construction methods within that era.
Examining objects by material category—ceramics, wood furniture or metalwork—reveals how craftspeople addressed functional and aesthetic problems. This approach helps you understand design evolution and identify historical styles or techniques that interest you.
Observing Design Details
Allocate two hours for concentrated study of one period or material. Bring a notebook to record observations about proportions, joinery, surface finishes and decorative techniques.
When examining furniture and objects, observe how form relates to function: chair angles, storage solutions, surface treatments and the relationship between ornament and structure. These observations inform your own design choices.